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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Phoenix's Sean Burke had no
problem getting up for the high-scoring Vancouver Canucks.
|  | | Canucks goalie Felix Potvin gathers the puck as defenseman Bryan Helmer ties up Wyatt Smith. |
Burke stopped 37 shots and Jeremy Roenick scored 16 seconds into
overtime to give the Coyotes their fourth straight win, a 3-2 decision over
the Canucks on Saturday night.
Keith Tkachuk stole the puck from Murray Baron on the first
shift of the extra period and fed a quick pass to Roenick, who beat
a sprawling Felix Potvin with a high shot into the far corner.
The Canucks' first loss in four games dropped them to 5-2-0-1.
Tkachuk and Shane Doan each had a goal and an assist as Phoenix
improved to 6-1, the best start in franchise history.
"It was a nice win," said Burke, who played 16 games for
Vancouver in 1997-98. "For me personally it was a nice game,
coming back to one of the teams I've played for in the past and
being able to play solid as I did."
Vancouver outshot Phoenix 39-23 but Burke, who came into the
game with a 1.61 goals-against average and .942 save percentage,
was outstanding.
"Sean Burke was the reason we won the hockey game," said
Roenick, who has a point in four straight games. "It was a fire
drill out there in the third period."
Burke made his best saves early in the third, robbing Henrik
Sedin, Todd Bertuzzi and Steve Kariya as Vancouver peppered him
with eight shots in the first six minutes of the period.
"They are a good hockey team, you can see why they have been
winning and beating some good teams," Burke said. "They've got a
lot of offense and are a quick team. For a goaltender, you know you
are going to get tested so it's easy to get up for a game like
this."
The Coyotes appeared to have the win sealed in regulation before
defenseman Bryan Helmer scored with 2:58 left. Helmer, playing in
his first NHL game this season after being recalled from Kansas
City of the IHL on Thursday, converted Kariya's pass out of the
corner with a quick wrist shot that beat Burke high on the glove
side.
"All in all, coming back the way we did, we are pretty pleased
with that effort and most nights that will be good enough,"
Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. "Phoenix is playing as well as
anybody right now. They're getting great goaltending, the defense
is really good and their key players are playing well for them. We
didn't get cheated. It's unfortunate that we lost it, but there
were a lot of good things that we can build upon."
After a scoreless first period, Tkachuk got Phoenix on the board
2:58 into the second with his fourth goal of the season. With the
Coyotes on the power play, Tkachuk got his stick on Doan's point
shot and tipped the puck past Potvin low on the stick side.
Bertuzzi tied it at 6:36 of the second with Vancouver on a
5-on-3 power play.
Doan restored the one-goal lead at 8:53 of the second after
Bertuzzi turned the puck over at his own blue line, giving Phoenix
a 2-on-1 break. Doan took a pass from former Canucks defenseman
Jyrki Lumme and snapped a perfect wrist shot that beat Potvin high
on the glove side.
Potvin stopped 20 of 23 shots.
Phoenix came into the game with the league's second-best
power-play percentage after converting 9 of 28 chances, finishing
1-for-5 against the Canucks. Vancouver was 1-for-7 with the man
advantage.
Game notes
Vancouver left wing Donald Brashear returned to the lineup
after missing Wednesday's game against Calgary with a mild knee
sprain. ... Phoenix defenseman Stan Neckar played in his 300th
career NHL game. ... The Canucks played without Mattias Ohlund for
the first time this year after the 24-year-old defenseman had
surgery Friday to relieve swelling behind his right eye. Ohlund,
who leads the team in playing time with an average of 25:59
minutes, will be out four to six weeks. ... Phoenix center Juha Ylonen
missed his second straight game with a bruised shoulder. ... Both
teams came into Saturday's game with their offense clicking.
Vancouver was third in the NHL with 27 goals in seven games, while
the Coyotes were tied for sixth after scoring 23 times in six
games. ... Swedish rookie Daniel Sedin had a five-game point streak
snapped.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Vancouver Clubhouse
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Toronto 2
Calgary 1
Montreal 5
Carolina 2
Atlanta 6
Ottawa 6
Anaheim 4
Philadelphia 3
NY Islanders 4
Washington 4
Detroit 5
Buffalo 4
New Jersey 7
Tampa Bay 2
Pittsburgh 5
Columbus 2
Dallas 4
Los Angeles 3
San Jose 5
Nashville 3
St. Louis 1
Chicago 0
Phoenix 3
Vancouver 2
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