Canucks' Samuelsson late scratch after falling ill
Vancouver forward Mikael Samuelsson was a surprise late scratch after falling ill before Game 2 of the Canucks' first-round playoff series against Chicago on Friday night.
Samuelsson missed six games late in the season because of an upper-leg injury that has plagued him all season, but the team announced the veteran winger was ''sick'' just before the game.
Samuelsson hit the post twice while playing 19:38 in Vancouver's 2-0 Game 1 victory Wednesday night, and practiced Thursday. He is the only Canucks player with a Stanley Cup ring, and scored eight goals and had 15 points in 12 playoff games during his first season in Vancouver last year.
Vancouver is carrying an extra forward in small, speedy winger Jeff Tambellini, but instead dressed defenseman Aaron Rome its 12th forward.
Fellow Canucks forward Raffi Torres, who missed Game 2 serving the final game of a four-game suspension, missed the morning practice because of food poisoning.
