(Sports Network) - Mikael Samuelsson scored in regulation and had the game-winner in the shootout, lifting the Vancouver Canucks to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

The Kings went first in the shootout, but Michal Handzus missed. Ryan Kesler then scored on a wrister before Jack Johnson's wrist shot beat Andrew Raycroft.

The next two shooters -- Vancouver's Mason Raymond and LA's Ryan Smyth -- were unsuccessful, and Samuelsson buried a backhander past Jonathan Quick for the win.

Raycroft made 30 saves in regulation and overtime for the Canucks, who have won four of five.

"It was a nice, greasy road win; we'll take them all year," Raycroft said. "It was nice to win on the road. We did a good job killing penalties and keeping that top line off the score sheet. No time, no space."

Scott Parse lit the lamp, while Quick stopped 14 shots for the Kings, who have dropped two in a row -- both in a shootout -- on the heels of a four-game win streak.

"Overall the team played great, both nights we out-played them and we out-shot them," Quick said of the shootout losses. "You got to take away the positives: the team's playing great and we took both teams into a shootout. Unfortunately we ended up on the short end of the stick there, so you just got to keep pushing, keep doing what you're doing, and get back at it tomorrow."

Parse's slapshot from the right circle beat Raycroft at 11:27 of the first period, but Samuelsson evened the game a little more than seven minutes later.

The game remained 1-1 as Raycroft turned aside 17 shots over the final two periods, while Quick stopped eight in the same span. Quick made three saves in overtime, and Raycroft had two.

Game Notes

Vancouver won three of the four games with Los Angeles last season...The Canucks play at Anaheim on Friday...The Kings have off until Monday, when they travel to face the Phoenix Coyotes.





Copyright 2009 The Sports Network
All rights reserved

 Email To Friend