Recap
Canucks 4, Avalanche 2
Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Ryan Kesler's disputed goal 3:52 into the third period stood up as the game winner as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Alex Burrows added an insurance goal with 6:53 left, and Kevin Bieksa and Daniel Sedin also scored as the Canucks snapped a four-game losing streak to move into a tie with Colorado atop the Northwest Division.

Matt Duchene scored and defenseman John-Michael Liles had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, which lost for the first time in five games.

Kesler's 100th NHL goal was originally waved off because it appeared that new linemate Jeff Tambellini knocked in the rebound of Kesler's shot with a high stick after the puck bounced high over goalie Peter Budaj. But replays showed Tambellini missed the puck - hitting Budaj in the helmet instead - and that it went in off the netminder. The call was overturned after a lengthy video review and gave the Canucks a 3-1 lead.

Duchene pulled Colorado back within one goal less than three minutes later, jamming a puck through Roberto Luongo from a sharp angle. But Burrows, reunited with Daniel and Henrik Sedin on the top line after being demoted for two games, scored on a 3-on-2 break with the identical twins to restore the two-goal cushion.

Henrik Sedin had two assists. Luongo made 21 saves.

It was a costly game for the Avalanche, which lost starting goalie Craig Anderson and veteran defenseman Adam Foote to injuries before the second period.

Foote had to be helped off the ice after sustaining a leg injury with 30 seconds left in the first period. Anderson started the second on the bench because of a groin injury.

Anderson made just his second start after missing 10 games with a knee injury sustained in warmups at Vancouver on Oct. 26.

Budaj, 6-3-1 in Anderson's absence, made a couple of great stops and finished with 10 saves. He had little chance when Daniel Sedin parked himself in the slot and redirected a slap pass from Henrik into the top corner to make it 2-1.

Bieksa's first of the season opened the scoring during a delayed-penalty call midway through the first period. Mikael Samuelsson played catch with a couple of teammates at the blue line while the extra attacker came on for Luongo. Samuelsson threw the puck at the net and it hit Bieksa's stick and bounced up and over Anderson.

It was just the second time in eight games that Vancouver scored first.

Liles tied it on a power play, firing a point shot to the right of Luongo just as he looked around to the left of Chris Stewart's screen atop the crease.

NOTES: Tambellini, recalled Wednesday after recording seven points in seven AHL games, had an assist while playing on the second line. ... Anderson stopped six of seven shots before leaving. ... During a pregame ceremony, the Canucks honored former goalie Kirk McLean, who is now the Avalanche's goaltending consultant, with the second spot in their new Ring of Honor. ... Vancouver has won all three meetings with the Avalanche this season. ... Colorado is 0-7 when scoring two or fewer goals.


Three star selections
1st:   ALEXANDRE BURROWS
2nd:   MATT DUCHENE
3rd:   DANIEL SEDIN
Winning Goaltender
Roberto Luongo

Losing Goaltender
Peter Budaj

SCHEDULE

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STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
P. Parenteau 48 18 25 -11 43
M. Duchene 47 17 26 -12 43
P. Stastny 40 9 15 -7 24
J. McGinn 47 11 11 -13 22
J. Mitchell 47 10 10 5 20
R. O'Reilly 29 6 14 -3 20
G. Landeskog 36 9 8 -4 17
T. Barrie 32 2 11 -11 13
C. McLeod 48 8 4 4 12
M. Hejduk 29 4 7 -7 11
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
J. Giguere 5 4 4 .908 2.84
S. Varlamov 11 21 3 .903 3.02
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