Canucks Stagger but Win : NHL playoffs: Vancouver nearly loses a 4-0 lead but holds on to beat Edmonton, 4-3. Victory forces Game 6 of Smythe Division finals.

The Vancouver Canucks, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Winnipeg Jets in the Smythe Division semifinals, are at it again.

The Canucks beat the Edmonton Oilers, 4-3, Sunday night and trail the Oilers, 3-2, in the Smythe Division finals, with the sixth game Tuesday night in Edmonton. No team has rallied from two 3-1 deficits in Stanley Cup playoff history.

“We haven’t won in their building in this series, obviously, and one of our games was a real stinker,” said Canuck Coach Pat Quinn. “We’re going to have to battle like we did tonight.”

The Canucks battled well in the first period and early in the second. They had a 4-0 lead until they began giving the puck away in their own end and watched Edmonton score three unanswered goals.

“It’s one big game in Edmonton and if we can come back here we feel we can win,” said Canuck center Cliff Ronning, who scored his seventh and eighth goals of the playoffs.

“So, we’ve got to play like a team.”

Igor Larionov and Trevor Linden scored the other Canuck goals.

A defensive collapse late in the period allowed the Oilers to score three consecutive goals, including two on the power play. The third Edmonton goal came at 19:27.

Joe Murphy had two other second-period chances after Canuck giveaways, but goalie Kirk McLean stopped both.

Murphy, Dave Manson and Mark Lamb scored for Edmonton in the second period.

The Canucks led, 2-0, after the first period on the strength of two picture-play goals by Linden and Ronning.

After a three-way passing play involving Geoff Courtnall and Linden, Ronning scored when he tipped in a goalmouth pass with Oiler defenseman Chris Joseph draped across his back.

Linden scored his fourth of the playoffs, breaking in to Bill Ranford’s left and flipping the puck past the goalie with both Martin Gelinas and Manson fighting to take the puck away.