on the ice for a few moments

VANCOUVER - Down 1-0 after two periods with their season on the line, the Vancouver Canucks showed they still have a little fight left. Brad Richardson scored with 1:23 remaining in regulation Saturday as the Canucks kept their minuscule playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Richardson took a feed from linemate Zack Kassian at the side of Jonathan Quicks goal and ripped home his 11th of the season to keep the Canucks in the post-season chase, at least mathematically. "That shows the character of the team," said Kassian. "We could have folded once they scored and packed our bags but we didnt. We competed and stuck with our game plan." The Canucks and embattled head coach John Tortorella would have been eliminated from post-season contention with a regulation loss, but will instead live to see another day thanks to a spirited effort against a Western Conference powerhouse. "What do we have to lose, right? Torts just told to have fun and go play and what the hell?" said Richardson of what was discussed in the locker-room during the second intermission. "I think we all know where all are. "Whatever happens, happens." Vancouver still sits six points back of the Dallas Stars for the second wild-card spot in the West with just four games left on the schedule. In short, the Canucks will need a miracle to make the post-season, but the fact they came back against a Kings team that won the seasons first four meetings and was 26-2-0 when leading after two periods is a definite positive in what is in all likelihood a lost campaign. "We played hard. We played as a team. We stuck together," said Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, who returned after missing four games with an upper-body injury. "Thats never been a problem here the last couple weeks and thats a good feeling." Alexander Edler added a goal and an assist for Vancouver (35-32-11), which got 25 saves from Eddie Lack in his 18th straight start since the Olympic break. Slava Voynov scored for Los Angeles (45-28-6). Quick stopped 38 shots for the Kings, who are locked into the third seed in the Pacific Division. "I thought we played great the whole game," said Richardson, who left the Kings to sign with Vancouver in the off-season. "Everyone played great tonight. I thought Eddie was awesome. Its nice to beat those guys for sure." Trailing 1-0 after 40 minutes, the Canucks tied the score on the power play after Edlers seventh of the season just 66 seconds into the third stood up after a video review. The Vancouver defenceman pinched down to Quicks crease and saw Daniel Sedins saucer pass deflect in off his skate, but without a distinct motion. The Canucks had another power play moments later, but some good puck movement failed to create a clear-cut chance on Quick. "We have to bear down. We took three penalties and they scored on one of them," said Kings forward Marian Gaborik. "We cant have breakdowns in our zone. We have to get ready and make sure it doesnt happen. Were heading into playoffs. "These game situations can cost us big so we have to figure it out and make sure we bear down and are strong on pucks in front of our net." The game was played after a controversial few days in Vancouver that included Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis seeming to criticize the style employed by Tortorella in a live radio interview. Gillis said he wanted the club to get back to the high-tempo, puck-possession game that got Vancouver to within one victory of the 2011 Stanley Cup under former head coach Alain Vigneault, who was fired last off-season after a first-round playoff exit. Tortorella responded to Gillis comments by saying that both he and his boss were on the same page in terms of systems coming out of training camp, but added that he was slow to respond to injuries that forced the Canucks into a more conservative style by mid-season. On the ice, the Kings snapped a scoreless tie on a power play with 28 seconds left in the second period on Voynovs fourth goal of the season on a massive breakdown by the Canucks penalty-killing unit. All four Vancouver players on the ice inexplicably wound up in the corner below the goal-line, leaving Voynov wide open in front to bury a feed from Jeff Carter. The goal was Voynovs first goal since Nov. 14, a span of 59 games. "When they scored at the end of the second period, we talked about just gaining the momentum back," said Tortorella. "I thought we played a pretty good second period. We just make a terrible coverage mistake on our penalty kill — really they didnt get a sniff through any of it. "We just talked about the first few shifts of just trying to gain momentum and not sink because we got scored on late. Then we score a power-play goal. I thought we played well." The Canucks had a 4-on-3 power play for 34 seconds earlier in the period that they failed to capitalize on, as well as a great chance for Richardson that the Vancouver forward couldnt get up and over Quick. At the other end, Lack made a huge pad stop in the periods opening minute when he came across to stone Tyler Toffoli on a 2-on-1. The Kings and Canucks have played some physical games this season and in the playoffs, but the opening 20 minutes felt more like an exhibition game. Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown had the best opportunity to break the scoreless deadlock with 30 seconds remaining, but his shot from the faceoff circle rang off the post behind Lack. "We played, I think, like we did back before Christmas. We iced a lineup thats healthy," said Henrik Sedin. "We were able to be aggressive, play the way we know we can. Weve been in a lot of tight games against these guys." Notes: Kings defenceman Matt Greene left the game in the third period but later returned after taking a shot off the shin that left blood splattered on the ice. ... Kings defenceman Drew Doughty missed out because of an upper-body injury, thought to be a left shoulder ailment. Andrew Campbell made his NHL debut on the L.A. blue-line in Doughtys place. ... The Canucks are home to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. ... The Kings take on the Flames in Calgary on Wednesday. Indiana Pacers Jerseys . PAUL, Minn – The clock lingered for what seemed like an interminable two minutes and 51 seconds before Mark Fraser finally escaped to the bench during a wildly one-sided first period of an eventual loss to Boston. Custom Indiana Pacers Jerseys . -- Houstons All-Star tandem of James Harden and Dwight Howard refused to let the Rockets give in to fatigue. http://www.authenticbasketballshoppacers.com/al-jefferson-pacers-jersey/ . Ending a nine-game losing streak? That gave the Milwaukee Bucks veteran forward a reason to smile. Bojan Bogdanovic Jersey . -- The Minnesota Twins have granted relief pitcher Matt Guerrier his unconditional release, making the 35-year-old right-hander a free agent. Paul George Jersey . "It feels good, Ive never had one before, not even in College," Hagelin said after the Rangers outgunned the Jets 4-2, behind some solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist following a pretty wide open first period.(SportsNetwork.com) - It may just be the right place and the right opponent for the Detroit Red Wings to snap their longest losing streak of the season. Losers of six straight, the Red Wings look to beat the Buffalo Sabres for the sixth time in a row at home as the clubs clash on Tuesday night at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings have gone stone cold on the offensive side of things during an 0-2-4 rut. They have just six goals in that span and have lost four times in a shootout, including Sundays 2-1 setback to the Colorado Avalanche. Pavel Datsyuk got Detroit on the board with a power-play tally in the third period, and Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar scored in the shootout to answer two Colorado goals in the Avalanches first two chances in the tiebreaker. Detroits Petr Mrazek and Colorados Calvin Pickard then matched one another save for save until Jarome Iginlas goal to begin the ninth round. Pickard then made a right pad save on Brendan Smith to secure the victory. That dropped the Red Wings to 1-7 in shootouts this season despite 22 saves through overtime from Mrazek. I thought Mrazek gave us a great chance, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock said. Anytime your goalie makes as many saves as he did, you have to find a way to score some goals. The rookie was starting in place of an injured Jimmy Howard (groin), but was unable to prevent the Red Wings from losing six in a row for the first time since an 0-4-2 losing streak from Dec. 7-17 of last year. Detroit last lost seven in a row earlier that season, going 0-2-5 from Nov. 7-19. The Red Wings hope to salvage the finale of a four-game homestand tonight and could opt to give Mrazek his first career appearance versus the Sabres despite Howards injury not believed to be serious. However, he is day-to-day and the NHL begins a three-day break on Wednesday, so Howard would get additional rest. Also a factor is that Detroit has not lost to Buffalo at home since Oct. 13, 2006, winning five straight meetings at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings also have won 14 of their past 16 at home in this series. The Sabres did snap an eight-game slide to the Red Wings with a 3-2 shootout win at home on Nov. 2 in the first of four meetings this season. Detroit forward Stephen Weiss is also possible for tonights lineup, having not played since Dec.dddddddddddd 12 due to a shoulder injury. He practiced without issue on Monday. Buffalo has followed up a four-game win streak with three straight losses, falling 4-3 to Boston in overtime on Sunday. The Bruins got the game-tying goal with 1:31 left in regulation, then potted the game-winner 2:14 into overtime. That denied the short-handed Sabres from getting the extra point as they went into the game minus Cody McCormick, Mike Weber, Torrey Mitchell and Tyson Strachan and Tyler Myers due to injury as well as Matt Moulson and Patrick Kaleta because of illness. The Sabres then lost two more forwards during the game as Brian Gionta exited late in the first period after taking a high and hard hit from Bostons Matt Bartkowski. Gionta appeared to get hit in the head by Bartkowskis shoulder and stayed on the ice for a few moments before skating off. Marcus Foligno then engaged in a fight with Bartkowski and suffered what is believed to be a significant upper-body injury, most likely to his hand. Yeah, I mean going down to three lines early and losing a couple more guys, just the way that the game ended youre disappointed, but the effort ... we couldnt have asked for more, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. They gave us everything they had. Tim Schaller scored his first NHL goal, while Andrej Meszaros and Rasmus Ristolainen also lit the lamp for the Sabres. Schaller was recalled from the American Hockey League prior to the game and scored in his third career game. I used to go to games here growing up. I didnt even know how to celebrate, said the New Hampshire-born Schaller. Im excited to get the puck to my parents. Thatll be special for them. Jhonas Enroth stopped 33-of-37 shots in defeat. He also played the previous night and got the call again with Michal Neuvirth ill. It is unknown if Enroth will start again this game or if Nolan will give Neuvirth just his third start of the month. Enroth is 0-1-0 with a 1.89 goals against average and .936 save percentage in two games (1 start) versus the Red Wings while Neuvirth is 2-1-1 against them with a 3.10 GAA and .912 save percentage in four starts. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '