Oh so close!
Just not close enough for the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks were able to tie it up late, but Chicago would go on to score the go-ahead goal, winning 3-2 at Rogers Arena.
Game after game it is looking more and more like the Canucks are going to limp to the finish line.
Chicago center Jonathan Toews had a 2-on-1 rush with Marian Hossa driving to the net, but Toews pulled up at the left faceoff circle and dropped instead to Andrew Ladd, who one-timed a shot past Vancouver goalie Ryan Miller high on the blocker side for the winner with 2:27 left in the third period.
It was his 23rd goal of the year.
Scott Darling made 26 saves on the night in the victory.
Tomas Fleischmann opened the scoring with 2:18 left in the first period after defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, back in the lineup for the first time in five games, kept the puck in at the Vancouver blue line. Fleischmann got it at the top of the left faceoff circle and beat Miller high on the blocker side through the screen of center Dennis Rasmussen.
After being shuout four times in the past five games, Alexandre Burrows tied it 1-1 with 8:31 left in the second period. He batted a centering pass from Linden Vey out of the air in the slot and past the blocker of Darling, who was making his fifth straight start since No. 1 Corey Crawford was sidelined with an upper-body injury.
Patrick Kane set up the go-ahead goal from behind the net early in the third period, throwing it out front to van Riemsdyk in the slot. Van Riemsdyk moved it across quickly to Teuvo Teravainen on his right for a one-timer that caught Miller stranded at the top of his crease for his 13th at 5:37 of the period.
Sven Baertschi tied it 2-2 on a rush for his 15th at 14:18 of the third after a centering pass from Emerson Etem, who had two assists, off the rush made it through a crowded crease for a backdoor tap-in.
Ryan Miller made 29 saves in the lose.
Up next: The Canucks prepare for a date with the San Jose Sharks Tuesday night at Rogers Arena.
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