The Vancouver Canucks used a lethal power play to beat their Western Conference arch enemies tonight, scoring five times in six opportunities with the man advantage to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, 6-2.
Canucks Vs. Blackhawks: Sedins, Special Teams Vault Vancouver Past Chicago
Vancouver’s special teams made all the difference on Sunday night, as their power play unit scored five goals in six chances, and the Canucks penalty killers snuffed out all five Blackhawks man advantages.
As always, the Sedin twins were a huge part of the Canucks’ power play unit, as Henrik led the way with his fifth goal of the season and three assists, and Daniel scored his sixth goal of the year and added two helpers.
Vancouver’s special teams were the difference in the game, as they killed off all five Blackhawk man advantages. Chicago has now scored just once on their last 26 power plays.
In a rivalry that has seen the bad blood between these two clubs has grown over the last few postseasons, Chicago had gotten the best of the Canucks every year until this past spring. Vancouver was able to pull out a contentious Game 7 in overtime to take the hard-fought series on the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
It figures that a player who is the newest to this bitter rivalry would be the first to get on the board Sunday night. David Booth, who was acquired by the Canucks from the Florida Panthers on October 22, swatted his own rebound past the fallen Corey Crawford for the power play goal -- his first of the season -- giving Vancouver 1-0 lead just six minutes into the game.
It was a sign of what was to come for the rest of the evening.
Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo yielded another one of those goals that leaves so many in the hockey community scratching their heads, when Chicago's Michael Frolik flipped a soft wrister from along the left wing boards towards the Canucks' cage. Luongo appeared as if he was attempting to dodge a hand grenade, and the puck bounced right through the goaltender's pads.
At the time it tied the game at 1-1, but the Blackhawks would be made to pay for taking careless minor penalties.
Aaron Rome and Daniel Sedin tallied power play goals early in the second, and after Chicago's Marcus Kruger and Vancouver's Jannik Hansen traded even strength goals, Dan Hamhuis and Henrik Sedin connected while skating with the man advantage.
Luongo made up for his first period gaffe and finished the night with 38 saves, the best being a glove stop on Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy in the closing seconds of the second period. With the score still 5-2, Luongo got his catching glove on a wrist shot from the high slot that was ticketed for the top corner and deflected it over the glass.
For more on the game, check in with Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey, SB Nation Chicago and Canucks blog Nucks Misconduct.
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