Vancouver loses captain for season in 4-2 setback at Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y. The Vancouver Canucks lost more than a hockey game Friday night when captain and leading scorer Markus Naslund broke his right leg.
He will be out for the rest of the season.
Newly acquired forward Steve Heinze scored three goals, including the game-winner, in only his second appearance for the Sabres, leading Buffalo to 4-2 victory.
But the mood afterward was subdued as word spread of Naslund's injury.
Naslund was taken to Buffalo General Hospital, where he is expected to remain overnight while the team travels to Atlanta for a game Sunday.
Naslund, who entered the game tied for third in the NHL with 41 goals, was battling for the puck in the corner when he was thrown down by Sabres defenseman Rhett Warrener. Naslund fell awkwardly, his right leg twisting beneath him.
The Canucks, chasing their first playoff berth in five years, must now try to refocus without him.
"It's tough. He's a top scorer in the league. He's a big part of this team's success," Vancouver defenseman Ed Jovanovski said. "The only thing we can do is do it (reach the playoffs) for him."
The Canucks are winless in their last six (0-3-3) and remain in fifth place in the Western Conference standings, a point ahead of San Jose and Edmonton.
"We'll have to come together more as a group," center Andrew Cassels said. "We have 10 games left to make the playoffs. We can't sit and dwell on it."
Warrener said didn't know what happened during the play.
"We kind of all met in the corner," Warrener said. "I pushed back, (Naslund) was kind of leaning on me ... I don't know," said Warrener.
Penguins 6, Panthers 3
Sunrise, Fla. Mario Lemieux had two goals and an assist, and Johan Hedberg stopped 41 shots in his first career start for Pittsburgh. Florida's Pavel Bure also had a pair of goals, increasing his league-leading total to 51. Dan Boyle also scored for the Panthers, who have given up 44 goals in their last 11 games. Darius Kasparaitis, Josef Beranek, Alexei Kovalev and Jaromir Jagr also scored for Pittsburgh.
Senators 4,
Mighty Ducks 1
Ottawa Magnus Arvedson assisted on Marian Hossa's 30th goal and ended a 10-game scoreless drought as Ottawa moved two points ahead of idle New Jersey atop the Eastern Conference standings. Alexei Yashin scored his 33rd goal and Mike Sillinger added an empty-net goal for Ottawa. Senators goalie Patrick Lalime stopped 30 shots for his 31st win. Anaheim rookie Antti-Jussi Niemi scored his first NHL goal late in the third period and ruined Lalime's bid for the shutout.
Blue Jackets 3, Thrashers 0
Atlanta Ron Tugnutt recorded his second straight shutout and Tyler Wright had his first career hat trick as Columbus won for the eighth time in 10 games. Tugnutt, coming off a 3-0 shutout of Calgary on Wednesday, made 34 saves, including 10 in the third period. The shutout was the fourth of the season for Tugnutt, who has 19 shutouts in his 13-year career.
Stars 1, Coyotes 1
Dallas Mike Modano's goal midway through the second period lifted Dallas to a tie. Dallas had a two minute power play in the overtime and outshot Phoenix in the extra period. Coyotes goalie Sean Burke made six saves in overtime. Phoenix took a 1-0 lead at 2:56 of the second period on Travis Green's goal that struck two players on the way into the net. Todd Simpson's shot from the point hit Dallas' Brenden Morrow, then deflected off the stick of Green and past Stars goalie Ed Belfour.
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