National Hockey League
Burrows scores first two of season as Canucks get past Jets
National Hockey League

Burrows scores first two of season as Canucks get past Jets

Published Mar. 12, 2014 11:00 p.m. ET

 

Alexandre Burrows knew the goals would come. He didn't expect it would take until March.

The Vancouver right winger scored his first and second goals of an injury-marred season to help the Canucks beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in a shootout Wednesday night.

Chris Higgins had the only goal in the shootout as Vancouver handed the Jets their fifth straight loss.

ADVERTISEMENT

Burrows was playing in only his 36th game this season after breaking a foot to start the season and then breaking his jaw in December.

"I hit a few posts, a few saves, a few rebounds, a few empty nets that should have gone in," Burrows said. "It's a fine line between goals and not.

"Tonight I was able to get a few. Even though, honestly, I could have got four, I think. I hit the post, a few tips that they blocked and a 2-on-1 in the first my stick breaks."

But Vancouver suffered another injury blow when center Ryan Kesler left the game in the second period after a knee-on-knee collision with Jets center Jim Slater.

Canucks coach John Tortorella said Kesler will be sent back to Vancouver for tests while his teammates keep travelling to games against Washington, Florida and Tampa Bay.

"He's going to get some imaging and we'll have a better indication of where he's at, but he's out for a while," Tortorella said.

Slater said he didn't intentionally try to hurt Kesler.

"I thought I had him lined up, he kind of bailed there at the last second there," Slater said. "I didn't stick my knee out or anything in his path, wasn't leading with my leg. I thought I actually took the worst of it. Obviously, if he's hurt bad, I feel bad about that. It wasn't any intent. I thought I had him lined up and at the last second he tried to jump out of the way."

Higgins scored the decisive goal with some quick stick-handling on his way toward Ondrej Pavelec, flipping the puck by him after the netminder went down.

Andrew Ladd scored his 18th goal of the season and Michael Frolik added his 13th that put the Jets ahead 2-1 early in the third period.

Burrows had tied it at 2 at 11:17 of the third period.

Vancouver is 2-4-1 in its last seven games.

The game was a big improvement for the Canucks, who collapsed on Monday night and gave up seven goals in the third period in a 7-4 loss to the New York Islanders.

The Canucks have 70 points and Winnipeg 69 as they battle for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Dallas holds the last wild-card berth with 74 points. Phoenix has 73.

"We got opportunities to get the second point there the last couple games. We've got to start getting them," said Jets rookie defenseman Jacob Trouba, who logged almost 28 minutes of ice time. "Those are points we're letting slip away. It's good that we get one and we look at the positives and try to think about that, but at the same time it's at the back of your mind -- you've got to get those points that you're letting go."

Notes: Vancouver's Henrik Sedin played in his 1,000th NHL game, all with Vancouver. ... Vancouver was 0 for 5 on the power play and the Jets 0 for 4.

share


Get more from National Hockey League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more