Avalanche 1 - 3 Canucks
Final
  for this game

Luongo strong as Canucks top Avs

Feb 16, 2012 - 6:51 AM Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Roberto Luongo made 29 saves to lift the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.

David Booth, Alexandre Burrows and Jannik Hansen all scored for the Canucks, who have won five of six.

"It was nice to get this one in regulation because after the second period I was sure that was going to overtime or a shootout," said Luongo. "We know that come the playoffs these are the types of game that we're going to be in."

Erik Johnson scored the lone goal of the game for the Avalanche, who have dropped their past two.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere started the game in net for Colorado, but left late in the first period with a groin injury after giving up a goal on nine shots. Semyon Varlamov let in one goal on 21 shots the rest of the way.

"We had a slow start, but I thought we picked up our game in the second period," said Colorado head coach Joe Sacco. "It's disappointing to not win because I thought we played a solid game, just didn't capitalize on our chances."

It took just 13 seconds for Vancouver to grab the lead in this one as a rush play saw Mason Raymond lose control of the puck along the right wing, but it slid to the slot and Booth was able to backhand it home.

The score remained that way until halfway through the second period when Milan Hejduk sent a pass from the left circle to the right where Johnson was wide open for the easy wrister into the net.

The game-winning goal came with 6:29 to play. Colorado tried to clear it up the boards, but it bounced off of Ryan Kesler. Chris Higgins grabbed the puck and passed it over to the left circle where Hansen one-timed it home.

Burrows sealed the win with an empty-netter, his 20th of the year.

Game Notes

Burrows has reached 20 goals in four straight seasons...Vancouver has won all four games against Colorado this season, scoring 15 times while giving up just three goals...Vancouver hosts Toronto on Saturday...Colorado plays in Edmonton on Friday.






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