Music: {allcanada} Tanev scores on birthday, Canucks defeat Flames

Saturday, December 20, 2014

{allcanada} Tanev scores on birthday, Canucks defeat Flames

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The Santa Clause / Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Claus

VANCOUVER -- Vancouver Canucks defenseman Christopher Tanev celebrated his 25th birthday with an overtime winner.

Tanev scored on a 3-on-2 rush with Henrik and Daniel Sedin 18 seconds into overtime to lead the Canucks to a 3-2 win against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena on Saturday night.

Henrik Sedin carried the puck over the blue line as Daniel drove hard to the net, then spotted Tanev alone trailing on the play and his wrist shot beat Jonas Hiller over the blocker.

Vancouver defenseman Yannick Weber was credited for a goal the Flames shot into their own empty net on a delayed penalty, and forward Radim Vrbata ended a long Vancouver power play slump as the Canucks (18-11-2) snapped a five-game losing streak.

Ryan Miller made 26 saves for the Canucks, who recovered after blowing a two-goal lead that included some help from the Flames.

Canucks forward Jannik Hansen collapsed briefly on the bench shortly after taking a hit early in the second period. Hansen was conscious and on his feet moments later, walking with assistance to the locker room, but did not return to the game as a precautionary measure, according to the team.

Calgary forward David Jones scored midway through the second period and forward Johnny Gaudreau tied it seven minutes in the third period for the Flames (17-15-2), who have lost their past eight games.

Flames goalie Jonas Hiller made 30 saves as Calgary recorded a point for the first time in eight games after losing the previous seven in regulation, one short of the franchise record for regulation losses set in 1974-75.

With Hiller on the bench for an extra attacker on a delayed penalty in the first period, defenseman Dennis Wideman tried to pass to the point from behind the Vancouver goal line.

The pass missed forward Mason Raymond at the right faceoff circle and bounced off the boards all the way down into the empty net 4:40 in.

Weber got his stick on the puck as Wideman passed it behind the net, and the referee initiated a review. The NHL Situation Room informed the referee it was not a reviewable play, so the call on the ice stood.

The Canucks put a puck in on their own less than five minutes later.

Forward Alexandre Burrows crashed the net and got several whacks at a rebound in front of Hiller's left pad before it squirted out on the other side for a Vrbata tap-in. It was Vancouver's first power-play goal in seven games, ending a 0-for-18 drought with the man advantage.

Hansen left early in the second period after a hit from Wideman. Hansen was hunched over and skated off the ice, and remained hunched over as he sat on the bench while play continued. Hansen slumped forward, his body appearing to go limp as teammates caught him and banged their sticks on the boards to get the attention of referees, who stopped play while medical staff rushed out from behind the Canucks net.

Hansen was not taken to a hospital, according to CBC, which later said he was walking to the Canucks' workout room.

Jones, a Vancouver native, started the Flames' comeback with 8:31 left in the second period. Defenseman Kris Russell's shot through a screen off the left wall bounced in and out of the glove of Miller and Jones quickly shot the loose puck up past Miller's blocker on the short side to make it 2-1.

Gaudreau tied it 7:05 into the third period after a good shift cycling in the Vancouver end. After working a give-and-go with forward Jiri Hudler, Gaudreau took the return pass just inside the top of the right faceoff circle and quickly shot the puck through the legs of Miller.

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