Canuck Returns to Beat Kings

Doug Smith made a timely return to the NHL by scoring the winning goal Friday night as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Los Angeles Kings, 4-2.

Smith, whose career nearly ended in an off-season motorcycle crash, broke a 2-2 tie at 7:12 of the third period when he converted a rebound.

The Canucks acquired Smith on Tuesday from the Edmonton Oilers. He had been playing at Cape Breton in the AHL.

Petri Skriko, Mel Bridgman and Steve Bozek scored the other Vancouver goals as the Canucks tied a club record by winning their eighth consecutive home game.

Wayne Gretzky and Bernie Nicholls scored for the Kings. Nicholls’ goal was his 60th, setting a single-season mark for the Kings. Marcel Dionne scored 59 in 1978-79.

The Canucks opened the scoring at 15:17 when Skriko tipped Jim Benning’s seemingly harmless shot behind Glenn Healy.

Gretzky tied the score at 2:24 of the second period, converting a goal-mouth pass from Mike Allison during a power play for his 51st of the season.

Bridgman, a veteran who joined the Canucks two weeks ago, finished off a power-play rush at 16:07 for his 249th career goal.

Nicholls tied the score at 1:39 of the third to set the stage for Smith’s game-winner. Bozek scored into an empty net with 1:02 left to seal the victory.