Canucks extend unbeaten streak to 11
The Canadian Press
2/20/2003
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Nolan Baumgartner had a goal and an assist just hours after being recalled from the minors, and the Vancouver Canucks extended their unbeaten streak to a club record 11 games with a 4-2 victory Thursday night over the St. Louis Blues.
Vancouver, 7-0-4 during the streak, took a 3-0 lead with two power-play goals and one shorthanded to chase goalie Fred Brathwaite. Brathwaite allowed three goals on five shots before being pulled at 2:16 of the second period and the fans cheered every save by his replacement, struggling Brent Johnson.
Brendan Morrison, Artem Chubarov and Matt Cooke also scored for the Canucks, and backup goalie Peter Skudra stopped 22 shots.
Baumgartner, recalled from Manitoba of the AHL, scored his first goal on the Canucks' first shot of the game on a power play at 5:41. Chubarov got his seventh goal on Vancouver's third shot when the puck trickled between Brathwaite's arm and body while Scott Mellanby was serving a double minor for high sticking.
Morrison finished Braithwaite with short-handed goal with one second remaining on a penalty to Mats Lindgren for holding the stick. Morrison put the puck past a prone Brathwaite on the Canucks' fifth shot of the game to make it 3-0.
Keith Tkachuk, seconds after emerging from the penalty box, began the Blues' comeback midway through the second period on a 2-on-1 break with Cory Stillman. It was Tkachuk's 28th goal.
They combined again, with Stillman getting his 18th goal - but first in 15 games - with 5:39 left in the period. Stillman put in a rebound after Tkachuk took the initial shot.
Cooke made it a two-goal cushion at 9:16 of the third, beating Johnson while the Blues were caught on a line change.
Notes: Blues C Doug Weight, out the last four games with a broken bone in his face, was placed on injured reserve Thursday to make room for C Steve Dubinsky, who returned from a concussion. The move was made retroactive to Weight's injury, so he's already eligible to come off the list. ... Blues D Bryce Salvador injured his left shoulder when he was tripped by Brendan Morrison in the second period. ... The Canucks have outscored the opposition 31-22 during the streak. ... The Blues fell to 19-8-4-2 when giving up the first goal. Vancouver is not far behind in that category, going 16-12-1-0.
Cheers,
Aquaman