Canucks defeat Preds to clinch home ice
Posted March 30, 2011 12:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE — Alex Burrows scored twice in the third period to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.
Vancouver clinched the top spot in the Western Conference and set a franchise record with their ninth straight win on the road.
Mike Fisher scored for Nashville.
Vancouver dominated the game’s third period, outshooting the Predators 14-2.
From the neutral zone, Daniel Sedin sent Burrows in on a breakaway with a backhand pass. Burrows beat Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne with a backhand shot high to the glove side at 17:31 of the third.
Burrows drew Vancouver even at 1:17 of the final period.
Behind the Nashville goal on the left side, Daniel Sedin sent a pass to brother Henrik on the right side, who quickly fired a pass to Burrows all alone in front of Rinne. Burrows beat Rinne with a one-timer for his 23rd goal of the season.
At 14:01 of the second, Jonathon Blum’s shot from above the right circle was stopped by Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo, but the rebound ended up at the bottom of the right circle. Fisher was there to corral the puck and fire it high above the fallen Luongo.
Fisher broke a 17-game goalless stretch Saturday and now has three goals in his last two games.
Aaron Rome added an empty-net goal for Vancouver in the final minute.
Notes: In the four games between the teams this season, the first period ended with the score 0-0. … Canucks D Dan Hamhuis missed Tuesday’s game due to a concussion sustained in Atlanta on Sunday. Hamhuis played the first 483 games of his NHL career with the Predators. … Rinne has started 37 of Nashville’s last 41 games.
