Canucks’ Loss to Sabres Has a Double Meaning

The Vancouver Canucks lost more than a hockey game Friday night when captain and leading scorer Markus Naslund broke his right leg.

In only his second game with the Sabres, forward Steve Heinze scored three goals in Buffalo’s 4-2 home victory.

The mood afterward was subdued as word spread of Naslund’s injury. He will sit out the rest of the season.

Naslund was taken to Buffalo General Hospital, where he is expected to remain overnight while the team travels to Atlanta for a game Sunday.

Naslund, who began the game tied for third in the NHL with 41 goals, was battling for the puck in the corner when he was thrown down by Sabre defenseman Rhett Warrener. Naslund fell awkwardly, his right leg twisting beneath him.

The Canucks, chasing their first playoff berth in five years, must now try to refocus without him.

“It’s tough. He’s a top scorer in the league. He’s a big part of this team’s success,” defenseman Ed Jovanovski said. “The only thing we can do is do it [reach the playoffs] for him.”

Columbus 3, Atlanta 0--Ron Tugnutt recorded his second consecutive shutout and Tyler Wright had his first career hat trick in the Blue Jackets’ victory at Atlanta.

Tugnutt, coming off a 3-0 shutout of Calgary on Wednesday, made 10 of his 34 saves in the third period. The shutout was the fourth of the season for Tugnutt, who has 19 in his 13-year career.

The expansion Blue Jackets won for the eighth time in 10 games. Columbus’ 24 victories is four more than the second-year Thrashers and 10 more than Atlanta won in its first season.

Dallas 1, Phoenix 1--Mike Modano’s goal midway through the second period helped the Stars tie the Coyotes at Dallas.

Dallas had a two-minute power play in overtime and outshot Phoenix in the extra period. Coyote goalie Sean Burke made six saves in overtime and preserved the tie.

Phoenix took a 1-0 lead at 2:56 of the second period on Travis Green’s goal that struck two players on the way into the net.

Pittsburgh 6, Florida 3--Mario Lemieux had two goals and an assist and Johan Hedberg stopped 41 shots in his first career start for the Penguins, who won at Sunrise, Fla.

Florida’s Pavel Bure also had a pair of goals, increasing his league-leading total to 51, but the Panthers continued to struggle on defense. They have given up 44 goals in their last 11 games.