Samuelsson scores in overtime for Canucks
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Mikael Samuelsson scored his second goal 8:52 into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night in Game 1 of the first-round Western Conference series.
Both goalies made game-saving stops before Samuelsson ended it.
Los Angeles' Jonathan Quick got across quickly on Henrik Sedin's one-timer on a 2-on-1 break 4 minutes into the extra period. Two minutes later, Roberto Luongo lunged back to swipe the puck off the goal line with his glove after Jack Johnson's rebound attempt hit his blocker and trickled toward the goal.
Samuelsson won it 3 minutes later, taking Sedin's pass from behind the net into the high slot and quickly firing a shot over Quick's glove.
Jarret Stoll and Fredrik Modin scored power-play goals, and Quick made 41 saves in the Kings' first playoff game since 2002.
Daniel Sedin scored and set up Samuelsson's second-period power-play goal, and Luongo finished with 25 saves for the Canucks, who host Game 2 on Saturday night.
Los Angeles tied it with 7 minutes left in the second period after Canucks defenseman Andrew Alberts was given a 5-minute boarding penalty and game misconduct for elbowing Brad Richardson's head into the boards from behind.
Vancouver failed on a great chance to clear at the blue line, and the Kings worked down to Alexander Frolov below the goal line. His pass back up to Modin at the left faceoff circle was one-timed past Luongo's glove on the far side.
Los Angeles had several key players making their postseason debuts, and the Canucks had only lost 11 home games all season (30-8-3). It showed at times as Vancouver outshot the Kings 17-6 in the opening period and 13-2 in the third.
But Quick, who came into his first playoff winless in eight starts, was great early. He got across his crease quickly with the left pad to take an empty net away from Alex Burrows on a backdoor pass 5 minutes in, and made a stellar glove save off Samuelsson alone in the slot on a late power-play rebound.
Stoll opened the scoring on a power play 54 seconds into the second period with a shot from the high slot with Alberts in the penalty box for interference.
The Kings' seventh-ranked power play converted two of three chances against the Canucks' 18th-ranked penalty kill, while Vancouver's No. 6 power play was 1 for 4 against Los Angeles' 20th-ranked penalty killing.
Samuelsson finally beat Quick on a power play to tie it just over 2 minutes later, firing a shot under his blocker after Daniel Sedin kicked the loose puck back to him during a rebound scramble in front of the net.
Daniel Sedin put the Canucks ahead midway through the second period, making a nice spin pass to twin brother Henrik after a Kings turnover at the Vancouver blue line, and racing up the ice to take a return feed as he crossed into the Kings' end.
The soft lead pass put Daniel in alone on Quick and he cut to his right and lifted a perfect backhand over the goalie's glove from in tight.
NOTES: Alberts may face a suspension, which would leave the Canucks thin on defense. Aaron Rome hasn't resumed practicing since sustaining an undisclosed injury a week earlier in San Jose, leaving only journeyman Nolan Baumgartner. Kings C Anze Kopitar's stick got stuck in Henrik Sedin's face shield early in second period and required help at the bench to be removed, but no high-sticking penalty was called. ... Kings scoring leader Anze Kopitar, captain Dustin Brown, top defensemen Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, and Quick made their playoff debuts. RW Matt Pettinger, who was the only Canuck making his playoff debut, failed to get the puck out just before the Kings' second goal.