Canucks 3, Flames 2 (SO)

[January 20, 2014]  VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canucks 3, Flames 2 (SO): Chris Higgins backhanded the puck between Karri Ramo's pads in the fifth round of the shootout as host Vancouver extended its winning streak against Calgary to five games in a contest that began with a line brawl.

Ryan Kesler recorded a goal and an assist while defenseman Yannick Weber also tallied for the Canucks, who won for just the second time in 10 overall games (2-5-3) but have earned at least one point in 11 of their last 12 at home (8-1-3). Roberto Luongo made 31 saves in his first appearance since Jan. 4 due to an ankle injury.

Captain Mark Giordano and Matt Stajan scored for the Flames, who fell to 3-11-3 in their last 17. Ramo turned aside 31 shots for Calgary, which has scored two goals in each of its last four contests after being held to fewer than two in seven of its previous eight games.

After a scoreless first period that saw Calgary's Brian McGrattan and Vancouver's Tom Sestito headline a series of five fights just two seconds into the contest, the Flames cashed in on a power-play opportunity 1:37 into the second. The puck came right to Giordano after a faceoff in the left circle, and the defenseman fired it past Luongo from the hash marks for his seventh goal.

Kesler forged a tie 2:13 later by tipping Zack Kassian's pass, but Calgary regained the lead when Stajan beat Luongo with a backhander from the slot at 4:01 of the third. Vancouver pulled even four seconds into a man advantage when Weber's one-timer from above the left circle deflected off Lance Bouma's stick and past Ramo at 11:48.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Calgary C Blair Jones, RW Kevin Westgarth and Ds Ladislav Smid and Chris Butler received game misconducts along with Vancouver LW Kellan Lain, RW Dale Weise and Ds Kevin Bieksa and Jason Garrison for their participation in secondary fights after the opening faceoff. Lain was making his NHL debut while Jones returned to the Flames' lineup after missing 11 contests with a meniscal tear. ... Canucks captain Henrik Sedin overcame his rib injury to extend his streak to 679 consecutive games but finished his last shift at 14:07 of the second period. ... Vancouver LW Alex Burrows returned from a broken jaw and registered two shots in 20:46 of ice time in his first game since Dec. 1.

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