VANCOUVER, B.C. — Sami Salo scored on a 3-on-1 rush with 1:13 left, and the Canucks beat the Blackhawks 5-3 on Thursday night in the series opener after blowing a three- goal lead in the third period.
After Nikolai Khabibulin made a sliding save on Steve Bernier’s one-timer, the trailing Salo was all alone to tap in the rebound.
Patrick Kane scored twice for Chicago, and David Bolland tied it with 5:29 left.
Ryan Johnson scored into an empty net with 15.5 seconds left to wrap up the victory. Pavol Demitra scored on a power play, Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler scored even-strength goals and Kyle Wellwood added two assists for Vancouver, 16-1-1 at home since the start of February.
Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series is Saturday night in Vancouver.
Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo made 28 saves. He had an NHL-best 1.15 goals-against average and .962 save percentage in a first-round sweep of St. Louis.
After Chicago rallied twice from three-goal deficits in its six-game victory over Calgary, Kane got the Blackhawks’ rally started 1:01 into the third, pouncing on a loose puck in the slot off a rush and roofing a quick shot over Luongo’s shoulder. Kane cut it to one on a power-play rebound, and Bolland tied it on another rebound.
Khabibulin made 22 saves, including three great ones to keep it close early in the third period, but still hasn’t beaten the Canucks since Jan. 26, 1998, with Phoenix.
