|
 "When he found out he was on our line, I think he decided he
would be sick," the Canucks center deadpanned.
With Vancouver's leading goal scorer in sickbay, other Canucks
stepped up their game. Bonino and right winger Linden Vey both
snapped long scoring droughts with second-period goals as Vancouver
defeated the Islanders 3-2.
Defenseman Ryan Stanton, with his first of the season, also scored
for Vancouver.
Left winger Matt Martin and center Mikail Grabovski scored for the
Islanders, who lost their second game in a row.
The original plan was for Vey to be a scratch while Vrbata, who has
16 goals on the season, moved onto the second line. Vrbata became
ill after the morning skate.
Vey made the best of his chance to play.
 The rookie made it 3-1 Vancouver late in the second period on a
pretty breakaway that started with an Islanders turnover at center
ice. He took a pass from left winger Derek Dorsett and skated in
alone to beat New York goaltender Jaroslav Halak through the five
hole. It was his first goal 13 games.
"You always have to be ready," said Vey, who was a healthy scratch
for the Canucks' win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
"It's always nice to have that opportunity. Tonight I had a little
bit more energy and created a little bit more."
Bonino gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at 8:01 of the second after
Vancouver took advantage of a failed New York clearing attempt.
Defenseman Kevin Bieksa blasted a shot from the blue line that Halak
stopped, but Bonino was there to poke in the rebound.
It was Bonino's first goal in eight games and just his second in the
past 24.
"It hasn't been fun," said Bonino, who came to the Canucks last
summer from the Anaheim Ducks as part of the Ryan Kesler trade. "I
feel like I'm playing good hockey; the puck just wouldn't go in.
"There have been chances every night. Tonight one went in.
Hopefully, it continues."
The Canucks managed to keep center John Tavares, the Islanders'
leading scorer, off the score sheet.
"The execution just wasn't really where it needed to be," Tavares
said. "It was a hard-fought game, and I thought we competed hard,
but we just have to be smarter with the puck at times.
"It cost us at times, and it slowed us down at times."
New York right winger Kyle Okposo doesn't like the trend he is
seeing.
"I don't think we were sharp," said Okposo, who assisted on
Grabovski's third-period goal that cut the Islanders' deficit to
3-2. "We didn't execute.
"The last couple of games, even three games, we haven't been
ourselves, haven't had that same pop, and we just have to find a way
to get that back."
[to top of second column] |
Canucks goaltender Eddie Lack, who hadn't started a game since Dec.
17, admitted to feeling some rust early on.
"I kind of felt it took me five, 10 minutes to get into the groove a
little bit," said Lack, who stopped 21 shots. "I felt like I was
chasing the game a little bit, maybe like training camp again. After
that, I felt normal."
Lack was the Canucks' goalie last March 10 when the Islanders scored
seven consecutive third-period goals for a 7-3 win.
Halak, who made 17 saves, said turnovers were the difference.
"A few turnovers and they end up in the back of the net," he said.
"We have to eliminate all the turnovers and try to play for 60
minutes.
"That costs us lots of games when we don't play for 60 minutes."
Vancouver (23-12-3) remains in fifth place in the Western
Conference. The Islanders (26-13-1) are fourth in the East.
Canucks right winger Brad Richardson left the game in the second
period with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot. He did not
return for the third period.
NOTES: Vancouver G Ryan Miller had a 4-1-1 record and a .950 save
percentage while starting a season-high six consecutive games before
sitting Tuesday. ... The Canucks celebrated G Eddie Lack's 27th
birthday Monday by dousing him with a bucket of water. ...
Vancouver's homestand continues with the Florida Panthers coming to
town Thursday. ... New York placed D Lubomir Visnovsky on injured
reserve with an upper-body injury. He was replaced by D Matt
Donovan... Islanders RW Michael Grabner, who missed nine games with
a lower-body injury, was activated after his second stint of injured
reserve. ... New York LW Josh Bailey was scratched with an
upper-body injury. ... The Islanders play the Devils in New Jersey
on Friday.
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