Canucks beat Red Wings 2-1 in shootout

Vancouver clinches playoff berth; Kings also make postseason

Vancouver Canucks' Maxim Lapierre scores the winning goal past Detroit Red Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard in a shootout Saturday in Vancouver, B.C.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Maxim Lapierre scored in the shootout, Cory Schneider made 33 saves through overtime and the Vancouver Canucks clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Schneider stopped all three attempts in the shootout for the Canucks, who won their seventh straight at home and prevented the Red Wings from breaking the playoff threshold. Vancouver's victory also guaranteed the idle Los Angeles Kings of a playoff spot.

Lapierre, with Vancouver's last attempt in the shootout, beat Jimmy Howard with a forehand-to-backhand deke, roofing the puck into the net.

Alex Edler scored for Vancouver and Damien Brunner had a goal for Detroit in the first period, but neither team could score again until the shootout as Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard and Schneider each dominated at different times.

Maxim Lapierre scored in the shootout, Cory Schneider made 33 saves through overtime and the Vancouver Canucks clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Schneider stopped all three Detroit attempts in the shootout for the Canucks, who won their seventh straight at home and prevented the Red Wings from breaking the playoff threshold.

Lapierre, with Vancouver's last attempt in the shootout, beat Jimmy Howard with a forehand-to-backhand deke, roofing the puck into the net.

Alex Edler scored for Vancouver and Damien Brunner had a goal for Detroit in the first period, but neither team could score again until the shootout as Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard and Schneider each dominated at different times. Schneider was by far the busier of the two with the Red Wings outshooting the Canucks 34-14.

The Canucks scored on one of their four power-play chances, while the Wings were blanked on three.

Edler capitalized just past the game's 12-minute mark after Vancouver received a two-man advantage for 2:47 as Niklas Kronwall and Brendan Smith took tripping and high-sticking penalties, respectively. The Canucks could not score during the 5-on-3 situation, but Edler scored on a slap shot from the point with Alex Burrows providing a screen.

Detroit had a chance to draw even a short time later, but Daniel Cleary shot wide on a breakaway.

Burrows had a short-handed breakaway soon after but was foiled as he and Howard collided and the goalie ended up tripping the Canucks player.

Just when it looked as though the Canucks were going to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, Emmerton deflected in Damien Brunner's shot from the side boards. The goal came moments after Schneider had foiled Emmerton by the right post and the puck was rimmed around the boards to Brunner.

Howard helped the Wings remain tied at 1-1 in the scoreless second period as the Canucks held a 7-4 edge in shots. He got the shaft of his stick on a Jason Garrison wrist shot during a power play and foiled Burrows again on a partial breakaway before blocking a Daniel Sedin slapshot with just over two minutes remaining.

The Red Wings outshot the Canucks 17-2 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime.

Notes: Detroit lost winger Drew Miller to an upper-body injury in the first period. ... Vancouver D Keith Ballard left the game in the third period and did not return. ... A moment of silence was held before the game for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. ... Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa (lower-body) and Chris Tanev (ankle) remained out with injuries. Winger Chris Higgins (knee) also remained out. Higgins took part in the morning skate and said he was "close" to returning, but coach Alain Vigneault indicated he had a setback and was not yet ready. ... Detroit winger Todd Bertuzzi (back) missed a chance to play against his former Vancouver squad as he sat out his 34th consecutive contest, although he is skating with the team. ... Detroit winger Jordin Tootoo drew back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch Wednesday in Calgary.