Vancouver Canucks' goalie Cory Schneider stops Detroit Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday April 20, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
April 20, 2013 - 9:51 PM
VANCOUVER - Maxim Lapierre scored in the shootout and Cory Schneider made 33 saves as the Vancouver Canucks clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
The Canucks (25-13-7) posted their seventh consecutive victory at home. The Red Wings (20-16-8) missed out on a chance to jump over the playoff bar.
Lapierre, Vancouver's last shooter in the shootout, beat Jimmy Howard with a forehand-to-backhand deke, roofing the puck into the net. Schneider stopped all three Detroit shooters.
Alex Edler scored for Vancouver and Damien Brunner had one for Detroit in the first period, but neither team could score again until overtime and the shootout as Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard and Vancouver counterpart Schneider sparkled at different times.
Schneider was by far the busier of the two goaltenders as the Red Wings outshot the Canucks 34-14.
The Canucks scored on one of four power-play chances, while the Wings were blanked on three.
Edler capitalized just past the game's 12-minute mark after Vancouver received a two-man advantage for two minutes 47 seconds as Niklas Kronwall and Brendan Smith took tripping and high-sticking penalties, respectively. The Canucks could not score during the five-on-three situation, but Edler scored on a slapshot from the point with Alex Burrows providing a screen.
Detroit had a chance to draw even a short time later, but Daniel Cleary shot wide on a breakaway.
Burrows had a short-handed breakaway a little while later, but was foiled as he and Howard collided and the goalie ended up tripping the Canuck.
Just when it looked like the Canucks were going to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, Emmerton defected in Damien Brunner's shot from the side boards. The goal came moments after Schneider had foiled Emmerton by the right post and the puck was rimmed around the boards to Brunner.
Howard helped the Wings remain tied at 1-1 in the scoreless second period as the Canucks held a 7-4 edge in shots. He got the shaft of his stick on a Jason Garrison wrist shot during a power play and foiled Burrows again on a partial breakaway before blocking a Daniel Sedin slapshot with just over two minutes remaining.
Detroit enjoyed a decisive edge in shots in the third period, with most lacking much danger, but Pavel Datsyuk saw a shot go off crossbar after ramping up off the skate of Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis. Vancouver's Derek Roy then put a backhand off the corner of the Detroit post and crossbar.
The Red Wings received a power play at 13:23 as Garrison was called for slashing, but Schneider made a nice save on a Jakub Kindl slapshot through traffic. The Canucks goaltender also robbed Gustav Nyquist on a deflection and two whacks at the rebound before smothering the puck.
Then in the dying seconds of the third period, Schneider stymied Jonathan Ericsson and, on the ensuing rebound, Henrik Zetterberg to keep the score tied 1-1 after regulation time.
The Red Wings outshot the Canucks 17-2 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime.
Notes: Detroit lost winger Drew Miller to an upper-body injury in the first period. ... Vancouver defenceman Keith Ballard left the game in the third period and did not return. ... A moment of silence was held before the game for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. ... Vancouver defencemen Kevin Bieksa (lower body) and Chris Tanev (ankle) remained out with injuries. Winger Chris Higgins (knee) also remained out. Higgins took part in the morning skate and said he was "close" to returning, but coach Alain Vigneault indicated he had a setback and was not yet ready. ... Detroit winger Todd Bertuzzi (back) missed a chance to play against his former Vancouver squad as he sat out his 34th consecutive contest, although he is skating with the team. ... Detroit winger Jordin Tootoo drew back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch Wednesday in Calgary.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013