Canucks 2, Blackhawks 1 (OT)
Alex Burrows' goal 5:22 into overtime gave the Vancouver Canucks a thrilling 2-1 win over visiting Chicago in Game 7 of their Western Conference first-round series Wednesday night.
Burrows went from hero to goat and back again, sending the Canucks through to the second round after they went up 3-0 in the best-of-seven before dropping three straight to the defending-champion Blackhawks.
After Vancouver killed off a Burrows holding penalty early in the extra session, the speedy winger broke in alone following a Chicago turnover and rifled a slapshot over Blackhawks netminder Corey Crawford's shoulder. The goal ignited the Rogers Arena crowd that had been silenced on a Jonathan Toews goal with less than two minutes left in regulation that forced extra time.
The victory moves Vancouver into a second-round meeting with the Nashville Predators, while the Detroit Red Wings will tangle with San Jose in the other Western Conference semifinal series.
The Canucks struck early in this one, as Burrows one-timed a backhand pass from Ryan Kesler at 2:43 for his second goal of the postseason.
Following a scoreless second period, the Canucks looked to expand on the lead in the opening minute of the third as Burrows gathered an errant Chicago pass from his own blue line and was hauled down as he broke in on goal. Burrows was awarded a penalty shot, and fired a wrist shot that Crawford steered aside with his blocker.
Canucks netminder Roberto Luongo had to be sharp just past the midway point of the period, sticking out his left pad to deny Ben Smith from the side of the net. Crawford did one better roughly five minutes later, sticking out his glove to rob Kesler of an insurance goal while flat on his stomach.
Things looked bleak after Duncan Keith was given a hooking minor with 3:17 left, but a Vancouver turnover led to a Chicago scoring chance and Toews converted, sliding a rebound from his belly past Luongo for his first goal of the playoffs with 1:56 remaining.