Ohlund’s Goal Keeps Canucks in the Hunt

Mattias Ohlund scored the game-winner late in the second period and Dan Cloutier stopped 30 shots, and the Vancouver Canucks extended their unbeaten streak to seven games with a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night at Denver.

“It gives you confidence when your goaltender plays as well Dan did,” Vancouver Coach Marc Crawford said. “You can build on some momentum defensively. We are going to get our chances with the type of scoring people that we’ve got.”

Vancouver, 6-0-1 in its last seven games, occupies the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. A Vancouver loss in regulation Tuesday would have clinched a playoff spot for the Kings. The Canucks can clinch a playoff spot with victories over the Kings on Thursday and Calgary on Saturday.

Vancouver is 11-2-1 in its last 14 games and reached 90 points for the third time in franchise history.

Colorado had a chance to move three points ahead of San Jose in the race for the second seeding in the West, but struggled after a strong first period.

“It was very disappointing and we had a lack of intensity,” Colorado Coach Bob Hartley said. “If we put out an effort, we would have a chance at winning the hockey game. This time of the season, we are telling the world that we want to finish second overall, but that’s not the way that we are working.”

The Avalanche peppered Cloutier with seven shots on its first two power plays before Rob Blake scored with 6:23 left in the first period.

But after the early flurry, Colorado went flat.

Tampa Bay 2, Boston 2--Vincent Lecavalier scored twice, the second time with 27 seconds left in regulation, giving the Lightning a tie at Boston.

The Bruins, who are one point shy of reaching 100 points for the first time since 1993, moved four points ahead of Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference lead.

They need any combination of three points to clinch home ice throughout the conference playoffs. Boston has two games left, the Flyers have three.

St. Louis 3, Nashville 2--Ray Ferraro scored his second goal of the game on a power play with 4:52 left to lift the Blues at St. Louis.

Cory Stillman got Al MacInnis’ rebound behind the net and passed to Ferraro at the right of the crease. Ferraro wristed the puck past rookie Jan Lasak for the game-winner.

Lasak was recalled Monday from American Hockey League affiliate Milwaukee and made his NHL debut. He had to face a penalty shot by Keith Tkachuk, which he stopped.

Washington 3, Chicago 1--Steve Konowalchuk scored his first goal in 12 months, and the host Capitals kept their faint playoff hopes alive.

The Capitals pulled within four points of first-place Carolina in the Southeast Division. But the Hurricanes need only one point in their last three games to clinch the title.

Phoenix 4, Calgary 2--Brian Savage scored the go-ahead goal at 9:51 of the third period at Calgary, Canada.

Phoenix kept pace with St. Louis and Vancouver in the Western Conference playoff race. The Coyotes are in seventh place, one point behind St. Louis and one ahead of Vancouver.