By Andrew Chernoff

Feb 12, 2017

Vancouver (25-25-6=56 pts) played the 4th game of a 6 game road trip this evening against the Buffalo Sabres (23-23-10=56 pts) at KeyBank Center.

The Canucks played the Sabres in their second and final meeting this season, going for their 8th road win, while Buffalo was hoping for their 14th win at home.

The Sabres entered the game 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, while the Canucks were 4-6-0.

Canucks Defeat Sabres 4-2 In Regulation For 8th Road Win

Buffalo scored the first goal of the game, but Vancouver came back with two consecutive goals to take a 2-1 lead, before Buffalo scored in the last minute of the opening period to make it 2-2.

In the middle frame, Vancouver scored two unanswered goals, to go up 4-2 after two periods.

In the final period, neither team would score and the Canucks would get their 25th win of the season.

Canucks evened up their road trip at 2-2-0 with two games remaining.

Vancouver continues their road trip with visits to Pittsburgh (Feb. 14) and St. Louis (Feb. 16).

The game this evening marked the end of the Canucks’ 12th of 16 back-to-back series this season. They are 9-14-1 in back-to-backs thus far this season. In 2015.16, the Canucks played in 13 back-to-back series posting a record of 10-12-4.

The win against the Sabres left Vancouver 4 points behind Los Angeles and 6 points behind Nashville, for the two wild card playoff spots in the Western conference.

The Canucks entered the game with points in 13 in their last 20 games, with a record since Dec 28th of 10-7-3, tied for 13th best in the NHL, with an NHL 4th best 2.40 GAA, and 6th best FOW% at 52.4 percent.

Game Review

Vancouver and Buffalo tied 2-2 after first period. Buffalo opened the scoring at 4:58 on a goal by Tyler Ennis (4), assisted by Evan Rodrigues (1).

Canucks made it 1-1 on the power play when Bo Horvat, with his 17th goal of the season scored, assisted by Ben Hutton (10) and Markus Granlund (10), at 9:07. The power play goal was the Canucks 5th in their last 5 consecutive games.

Horvat & Chaput traded goals with Ennis & Okposo, it’s 2-2 after 20. Shots: 11-10 #Canucks. pic.twitter.com/vn0Gi0piCC

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 13, 2017

Vancouver would make it 2-1, at 16:37, on a goal by Michael Chaput, his 2nd of the season, assisted by Daniel Sedin (19).

“Fortuitous bounce” or bank pass? 🤔😄 pic.twitter.com/zYKIvVQv52

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 13, 2017

Before the end of the period, Canucks would give up another last minute goal, as Buffalo would even the game at 2-2 at 19:44, on a goal by Kyle Okposo (18), assisted by Rasmus Ristolainen (28) and Ryan O’ Reilly (24).

In the second, two unanswered goals put Canucks up 4-2 after two periods. Vancouver took a 3-2 lead, on a goal by Alex Burrows, his 9th of the season, assisted by Troy Stecher (14) and Bo Horvat (21), at 5:00.

#Canucks lead 3-2 with 13 minutes to play in the 2nd. Shots: 16-12 Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/WuLYt5PHPV

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 13, 2017

 

Michael Chaput put the Canucks up by two goals at 4-2, with his second goal of the game, 3rd of the season, at 15:33, assisted by Alex Edler (11) and Alex Burrows (11).

#Canucks lead 4-2 through 40 minutes. Shots: 23-16 Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/SSyN5eqveh

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 13, 2017

In the final period, neither team would score.

Markstrom Gets 10th Win Of Season

Jacob Markstrom made his 22nd start of the season, 13th on the road, winning his 5th road game, stopping 26 of 28 shots.

Markstrom’s season totals stand at 10-10-3, with a 2.56 GAA, and a .914 Sv% and no shutouts, in 22 game starts.

On the road he is, 5-8-1, with a 2.45 GAA, and a .921 Sv%.

Edler, Granlund, Horvat, Burrows, Hutton Extend Point Streaks 

Markus Granlund and Alex Edler extended their point streaks to 4 games each against the Sabres, while Bo Horvatw, Alex Burrows and Ben Hutton extended theirs to 2 games:

ALEXANDER EDLER (1-3=4 pts / 4 Games)
MARKUS GRANLUND (2-2=4 pts / 4 Games)
BO HORVAT (2-2=4 pts / 2 Games)
ALEX BURROWS (2-2=4 pts / 2 Games)
BEN HUTTON (0-2=2 pts / 2 Games)

Vancouver continues to be in 6th place in the Pacific division with the win, with 56 points, 13 points ahead 7th place Arizona, 3 points behind 5th place Calgary; 4 points from 4th place Los Angeles.

Los Angeles and Nashville presently occupy the two wild card playoff positions, with 60 and 62 points respecrively, with Vancouver 4 points the Kings for the final wild card spot in the Western conference.

Vancouver continue their road trip at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night at 4:00 pm PST.

In Brief:

• Vancouver out shot Buffalo, 31-28
• Canucks were 1 for 6 on the power play, with 10 shots for
• Vancouver 3 for 3 on the penalty kill, with 7 shots against
• Canucks out hit by Buffalo 19-12
• Vancouver had 13 blocked shots
• Luca Sbisa and Jayson Megna had 3 hits each
• Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher had blocked 3 shots each
• Vancouver were 25 for 54 in faceoffs, for 46 percent
  • Brandon Sutter was 12 for 22, 55 percent; Bo Horvat, 7 for 20, 35 percent
• Canucks finished with 11 attempted shots blocked, 9 missed shots, led by:
  • Troy Stecher, 4 attempted shots blocked, 1 missed shot
  • Ben Hutton, 3 attempted shots blocked
  • Markus Granlund, 2 attempted shots blocked, 2 missed shots
  • Nikita Tryamkin, 1 attempted shots blocked, 1 missed shot
  • Daniel Sedin, 1 attempted shots blocked
  • Alex Edler, 2 missed shots
• Michael Chaput and Alex Edler led Canucks with 4 shots each; Reid Boucher, Luca Sbisa, Alex Burrows, Loui Eriksson had 3 shots each
• Canucks had 6 giveaways
• Vancouver had 8 takeaways (Jack Skille with 2)
• Vancouver is 3rd in the League with 16 wins in 1 goal games.
• Canucks, are now, 3-5-2 in their last 10 road games, since Jan 1
• Vancouver is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games against Buffalo (4-2-0 in their last 6 games).
• CURRENT INJURIES
  • Derek Dorsett; 35 games missed
  • Erik Gudbranson; 23 games missed
  • Anton Rodin; 8 games missed
  • Sven Baertschi
• TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 242

Canucks Lineup:

#22D. Sedin-#33H.Sedin-#60Granlund
#14Burrowsi-#53Horvat-#36Hansen
#21Ericksson-#20Sutter-#46Megna
#24Boucher-#45Chaput-#9Skille

#23Edler-#51Stecher
#5Sbisa-#8Tanev
#27Hutton-#88Tryamkin

#25Markstrom
#30Miller

Scratched: #55 Alex Biega, #63 Philip Larsen