The Vancouver Canucks' playoff status has been revised to serious from critical, but their Stanley Cup hopes are still far from healthy.
The Canucks avoided elimination by showing poise and confidence in beating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 Sunday night. Vancouver still trails 3-2 in the NHL Western Conference semifinal and must win Tuesday's Game 6 at GM Place to push the best-of-seven series to the limit.
"We all have to step it up as a team," goaltender Roberto Luongo said after the Canucks stepped off a flight from Chicago Monday afternoon. "If we want to move on we have to play the best hockey we have played all year as a team.
"It's not on one guy to make a difference. It's on everybody to make sure they give a little extra."
Game 7 would be Thursday in Chicago.
After looking like beaten kittens following two losses at home, the Canucks returned home with a lions' strut.
Luongo shook off some criticism from his own coach and was nearly unbeatable in stopping 29 shots. The Canucks refused to be intimidated by Chicago and didn't retaliate to cheap shots, even when Daniel Sedin took a vicious slash to his ankle.
Vancouver killed four penalties and scored once on the power play. The Canucks stopped Chicago from making stretch passes out of their own end and prevented the Blackhawks from creating a traffic jam in front of Luongo.
Mission accomplished. Now they have to do it again. Then again.
"They (Chicago) are going to play better, we know that," said Henrik Sedin. "I think we can still play better too."
Coach Alain Vigneault refused to reveal any more details of the injury to defenceman Sami Salo.
The often-injured Finn was taken to hospital in Chicago after being hit in the groin area by a Duncan Keith shot at the end of the second period. Vigneault refused to comment on speculation Salo suffered a ruptured testicle.
"All I am going to say now is (he's) day-to-day," said Vigneault.
Defenceman Shane O'Brien will play after needing stitches to close a gapping cut on his forehead after hit by a Dustin Byfuglien high stick. Not penalty was called on the played.
The Canucks game still has some red flags.
Three of the four goals Sunday came from defencemen. Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Mikael Samuelsson have scored just one goal each during the series. Ryan Kesler, Steve Bernier and Pavol Demitra have not scored at all.
The Canucks have come back from 3-1 deficits three times to win series. They did it in 2003 against St. Louis, 1994 against Calgary, and 1992 against Winnipeg. On the other hand, Vancouver has a 3-6 record in Game 6s dating back to 1994.
