Flyers Rally To Tie, Top Canucks 4-3 In Shootout
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Steve Mason was happy to be so busy Monday night.
Mason made 41 saves through overtime and Vinny Lecavalier scored the only goal in a shootout for the Philadelphia Flyers, who rallied to tie the game in the final minute of regulation and went on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3.
"It was the first time in a long time that we have given up over 30 shots, so I actually enjoyed it," Mason said. "It was nice to get into a game and feel like you are doing something out there."
The Flyers also wiped out a 2-1 deficit in the third period and improved to 2-0 on their Western road trip. Philadelphia, which beat Edmonton in a shootout Saturday, will visit Calgary on Tuesday.
Lecavalier scored on a deke on Philadelphia's first shootout attempt, and Mason stopped all three Vancouver shooters as the Flyers (19-16-4) earned their third straight win and sixth in eight games.
The Canucks (23-11-7) lost for the third time in eight games and missed a chance to move into a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference.
"I thought we played good to get a point, but it (ticks) me off we don't get two," Vancouver coach John Tortorella said.
The Flyers haven't lost at Vancouver since Dec. 31, 1989.
Tom Sestito, Jannik Hansen and Daniel Sedin scored for the Canucks.
Mark Streit, Claude Giroux and Brayden Schenn had goals in regulation for the Flyers. Giroux also had an assist and further bolstered his chances of playing for Canada's Olympic team as he extended his point streak to nine games.
Schenn forced overtime when he scored with 47 seconds left in regulation after Sedin put the Canucks ahead 3-2 with 2:48 remaining. Schenn made up for a miscue by his older brother, Luke, who inadvertently put the puck into his own net after Mason got his blocker on Sedin's long shot from near the blue line.
"I guess a little brotherly love there," Mason said. "Luke was just trying to get back to the net there and I was putting my rebound where I wanted to and just an unfortunate bounce. Things like that happen. Just unfortunate it put us in that position."
Eddie Lack, making his second consecutive start and third appearance in place of injured No. 1 goalie Roberto Luongo, finished with 24 saves.
Vancouver failed on its four power plays, and Philadelphia went 0 for 2.
Hansen was less than pleased after the Canucks lost despite outshooting the Flyers 44-27.
"This game had no business going into overtime," he said. "We should have closed this out quite earlier. We need to score on our chances. It's not because we don't have them. We had quality opportunities in the third and even in overtime to get it done before the shootout."
The Flyers led 1-0 after the first period, and the teams were tied 2-all heading into the third.
Streit opened the scoring 15:24 in, putting in a backhand after Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis denied Michael Raffl on a wraparound attempt.
Sestito, a fourth-line player known mostly for his toughness, tied it 4:24 into the second when he put in a rebound of Hamhuis' shot.
Hansen put the Canucks ahead 2-1 when he completed a nifty give-and-go with Sedin and tapped the puck into an open net.
Giroux pulled the Flyers even about 2 minutes later when he took a lead pass from Raffl, fought his way up the middle through Hamhuis and Chris Tanev, and flicked the puck behind Lack from in close.
Early in the third, Mason denied Sedin on a breakaway. With just under 6 minutes gone, Mason robbed David Booth on a one-timer on a 2-on-1 rush with Zack Kassian.
Philadelphia coach Craig Berube called a timeout with 3:45 left, but moments later Sedin scored to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead.
However, Schenn put in Scott Hartnell's goalmouth pass with only seconds remaining in regulation.
In overtime, Mason stopped Ryan Kesler on two excellent chances in the final minute.
"Same story as the start of the year," Giroux said. "He kept us in the games and now to kind of get a win for him, it's huge."
NOTES: Luongo worked out with Canucks goalie coach Roland Melanson during a morning skate. ... Wayne Simmonds was denied a chance to become the first Flyers player to score multiple goals in four consecutive games in the 46-season history of the team. Reggie Leach (1976 and 1981) and Ross Lonsberry (1976) are the only other Flyers to record two or more goals in three straight games. ... D Frank Corrado played his first game for Vancouver this season after being called up from Utica of the AHL earlier Monday. He replaced Andrew Alberts, injured Sunday on a high hit from Brian McGrattan in Calgary. ... Canucks captain Henrik Sedin played in his 670th consecutive NHL game.
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