Samuelsson's late goal lifts Canucks at Chicago
Posted Oct 22, 2009 12:10 AM
CHICAGO -Michael Grabner scored the tying goal with 7:44 to play and Mikael Samuelsson followed with the winner 3:02 later Wednesday night as the Vancouver Canucks rallied for their first road victory of the season, 3-2 over the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Canucks hadn't won away from Vancouver since beating Chicago in Game 3 of the teams' second-round playoff series last May. The Blackhawks advanced by taking the final three games, and Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo wept after allowing seven goals in the decisive Game 6.
Luongo was much better Wednesday, making several acrobatic stops among his 18 saves, but he received a lot of help from his teammates as Vancouver was the first team to outshoot the Blackhawks this season.
Antti Niemi, starting in place of struggling Chicago goalie Cristobal Huet, was sensational most of the night and finished with 28 saves but couldn't survive some sloppy play in front of him late.
Grabner made it 2-2 with a power-play goal from the top of the left circle, his first career goal in his fourth NHL game.
After the Blackhawks killed off another power play, Samuelsson intercepted Brian Campbell's attempted pass to Patrick Kane in the Chicago zone. Samuelsson skated into the left circle and snapped a wrist shot that beat Niemi low to the far side.
Samuelsson, who also assisted on Steve Bernier's first-period goal, has 20 points in 25 career games against the Blackhawks.
Duncan Keith scored for Chicago midway through the first period. Late in the second, his perfect pass set up Troy Brouwer's goal for a 2-1 Blackhawks lead.
NOTES: Don Lever, a scout with the Blackhawks since August, left the team to be head coach of the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. ... Blackhawks C Andrew Ebbett, claimed on waivers from Anaheim last week, made his Chicago debut.
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2009-10-22 00:48:58
