Mikael Samuelsson scored twice, adds assist in Canucks’ victory

Canucks return home to beat Senators

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Mikael Samuelsson scored twice and added an assist, and the Vancouver Canucks returned home from an NHL-record 14 straight road games to beat the Ottawa Senators 5-1 on Saturday night.

Samuelsson extended his scoring streak to six games with a power-play goal that opened the scoring late in the first period. He added his ninth goal of the streak — and 30th of the season — on a partial breakaway midway through the second.

Alex Burrows had broken a 1-1 tie on a short-handed breakaway just 2 minutes earlier, and Daniel Sedin made it 4-1 on a power play with 3:53 left in the period. Sami Salo rounded out the scoring in the third, and Roberto Luongo finished with 13 saves as the Canucks enjoyed a nice homecoming after being away six weeks while Vancouver hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Jason Spezza scored, and Pascal Leclaire made 30 saves for Ottawa, which has lost five of six since the Olympic break after winning 14 of 16 going into it.

Playing at home for the first time since Jan. 27, the Canucks didn’t look at all road weary, outshooting the Senators 17-2 in the opening period and taking the lead on Samuelsson’s power play goal with 2:14 left.

It could have been a lot worse if not for Leclaire.

He made several great saves, including a stellar sliding right pad stop on Ryan Kesler’s one-timer after a 2-on-1 feed with 6:21 left in the period.

Samuelsson finally beat Leclaire with a wrist shot over the glove from the slot, but Leclaire robbed Daniel Sedin from the same spot on another power play in the final minute and somehow gloved Henrik Sedin’s screen shot at the buzzer.

It seemed to give the Senators life early in the second period. Ottawa had the first eight shots, and Spezza walked around defenseman Andrew Alberts off the rush and snapped a quick shot past Luongo to tie it 3 minutes in.

The Senators, whose only two shots of the first period were on a power play, had a chance to go ahead on their first advantage of the second. Instead Burrows scored his fifth short-handed goal of the season — tying him for the NHL lead — on the Canucks’ first shot, deking Leclaire to the ice before lifting in his 31st goal.

Samuelsson’s second goal came 2 minutes later, giving him seven goals in just 10 periods since being moved onto the top line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Samuelsson had a chance for his second hat trick of that stretch, but was turned away by Leclaire on a 3-on-2 before setting up Salo’s goal on the rebound.

Vancouver improved to 5-1-1 in its last seven games and 24-7-1 at home.

NOTES: Kesler extended his points streak to 12 games (5 goals, 9 assists) by setting up Burrows’ breakaway. Daniel Sedin has two goals and 12 assists in a nine-game streak. … Spezza’s goal was his first in six games since the Olympics after going into the break with 10 in 11 games. … Canucks D Kevin Bieksa returned after missing 25 games with lacerated ankle tendons that required surgery.

(This version CORRECTS Canucks 5, Senators 1. SUBS scoreline to correct Senators’ total to 1 sted 4.)