Vancouver Canucks topple Western Conference leading Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in shootout -NHL Update
It was one of the most anticipated meetings of the week and it definitely did not end without a bang as Vancouver Canucks toppled Western Conference leading Detroit Red Wings, 4-3, in a shootout on Thursday night, February 23, 2012, at the sold-out Joe Louis
Arena in Detroit, Michigan, United States.
Vancouver has been hot these past few months after a slow start to the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season as they won the eighth game of the past 11 in February alone.
Detroit and Vancouver are now separated by a single point with the Red Wings at number one with 85 and Canucks closing in at 84.
Not only did Vancouver win the match, but they also brought Detroit’s perfect 23-game home winning streak to an end after numerous attempts by other teams around the league.
"It's nice that we're the team that ended the streak," said Vancouver Canucks forward, Alex Burrows. "It's remarkable to win that many games in a row on home ice."
Darren Helm got the first of the night for his seventh of the year as he turned the puck over and fired in the breakaway shot a little over midway through the first while it was Daniel Sedin to level the game late in the second.
Both teams entered the final 20 minute period on the edge on a tie, 1-1, and decided to fire with all they had.
Newly acquired, Kyle Quincey, got his first goal with Detroit after his three-way trade from Colorado Avalanche to Tampa Bay Lightning and now with Red Wings.
Cody Hodgson levelled the game yet again but 20 seconds later, Detroit took the lead another time as Justin Abdelkader fired off his seventh, only to be tied by Daniel Sedin’s second of the night with 16 seconds remaining.
"It was an intense game with a playoff atmosphere," Vancouver goalie, Roberto Luongo, said.
For the fans, it was a potential preview of a Western Conference Final series game which has just raised their anticipations even more.
"For us to come in here and play well and show that we can beat them means a lot," Burrows said. "But there's a lot of work ahead and if we face them in the playoffs, it will start 0-0."
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