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 Horvat scored two goals, including the winner on a power play with
66 seconds left in the third period, and the Canucks defeated the
Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 Wednesday night.
Left winger Sven Baertschi also had a goal and an assist for the
Canucks, who are 4-2-0 in their last six games.
Horvat, a second-year player, recorded the first multi-goal game of
his career. He now has five goals this season, but three of them
came in the past two games after he went 27 games without one.
"Being able to score goals and take the puck to the net, you need
confidence," said the 20-year-old, who had 13 goals and 25 points in
his rookie season. "That's part of the game that was lacking a
little bit during the course of that first half of the season.
"Now you have more confidence you can start to do those little
things."
Vancouver (16-16-9) began the night 0-for-4 with the man advantage
and gave up a short-handed goal, but it was awarded another
power-play chance late in the game when Carolina defenseman Jaccob
Slavin was sent off for delay of game after shooting the puck over
the glass.
Horvat scored after taking a pass from behind the net from
Baertschi, snapping a shot past Carolina goaltender Eddie Lack to
break a 2-2 tie. It was the Canucks' second power-play goal in 27
chances over the past 11 games.
"We talked about it before," Baertschi said. "We realized there was
a lot of space down low. We tried to take advantage of it, and it
worked out."
Horvat's other goal came on a pretty breakaway at 7:15 of the third.
The center used his speed to sweep into the Carolina zone, then his
strength to power past two defenders and tuck the puck into the
corner of the net to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead.
The long scoring drought was difficult for Horvat.
"It was tough," he said. "Not being able to score, and not producing
offensively, I'm not used to that kind of stuff.
"It was hard on me. At the same time, I knew if I kept plugging
away, kept doing the little things, eventually it was going to
happen. I'm glad it's starting to now."
The Hurricanes had killed 25 consecutive penalties before allowing
Horvat's goal.
"It was a tough ending for sure," coach Bill Peters said. "It was a
tough penalty to take and a tough way to end the game.
"It was too much time on the kill ... and they made us pay at the
end."
Center Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist for Carolina.
Defenseman John-Michael Liles scored short-handed for the Hurricanes
(16-18-7).
Staal said some late mistakes cost the Hurricanes.
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"We feel like we had a fairly solid game going, maybe not in the
first (period), but the second and third we started getting our legs
and started playing some good hockey," he said. "Give them credit.
They made a great play on the goal."
It wasn't the ending Hurricanes goaltender Eddie Lack wanted in his
first game back in Vancouver since being traded to Carolina by the
Canucks during this year's draft.
"Obviously, when I came back like this, I wanted it," said Lack, who
made 18 saves. "It's really tough losing it with a minute to go."
Lack had stopped Horvat on two breakaways in the first period.
"I didn't think it was ever going to go in for me, especially in the
first period when he stoned me on a couple of breakaways," Horvat
said. "He played well tonight."
Lack said Horvat showed both his strength and skill on the winning
goal.
"It was a good shot," he said. "You've just got to take your hat
off."
Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves for the win.
NOTES: LW Sven Baertschi, who missed two games with a neck injury,
and LW Brandon Prust, out one game with a leg injury, returned to
the Canucks' lineup. ... Vancouver LW Daniel Sedin was selected to
play in the NHL All-Star game. ... Canucks D Andrey Pedan, LW Chris
Higgins and RW Jake Virtanen, recently returned from the World
Junior Championships, were scratches. ... Vancouver LW Ronalds
Kenins and RW Alexandre Grenier were returned to Utica of the AHL.
... Vancouver's homestand continues Saturday against the Tampa Bay
Lightning. ... Hurricanes LW Phil Di Giuseppe, who sustained a
concussion in Saturday's loss to Nashville, did not make the trip to
Vancouver. ... Carolina LW Brock McGinn and D Michal Jordan were
scratches. ... Carolina last won in Vancouver on Oct. 15, 1999. ...
Six of Carolina's next seven games are against clubs currently
outside of the playoff picture. ... The Hurricanes return home to
play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
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