VANCOUVER -
Brad Lukowich scored his first goal in 111 games Monday and the Vancouver Canucks extended their winning streak to a season-high five games by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 3-2.
Lukowich jumped into the play to take a back pass through the legs of Daniel Sedin, and the veteran defenceman beat Buffalo netminder Ryan Miller with a quick shot that snapped a 2-2 tie.
The goal was the first for the Cranbrook, B.C. native since Nov. 5, 2007 when he scored against Florida while playing for Tampa Bay.
Lukowich was in the minors earlier this month with the Austin-based Texas Stars but was called up from the AHL club when Vancouver's blue-line became depleted by injury.
Henrik Sedin and Mikael Samuelsson also scored for the Canucks.
Adam Mair and Thomas Vanek replied for Buffalo.
Vancouver improved to 32-18-2 and tied the Colorado Avalanche for first in the Northwest Division and third in the Western Conference.
The Sabres, who lead Ottawa by seven points atop the Northeast Division, lost their fourth straight and fifth in six games to slip to 30-14-7.
Buffalo has lost six straight at GM Place, with their last victory coming in February 1999.
Vancouver, thin on the blue-line for the second straight game, beat an Eastern Conference club for the ninth time in 10 starts.
The Canucks were without the shutdown defence pairing of Sami Salo (groin) and Willie Mitchell (concussion) along with Kevin Bieksa, who is rehabbing lacerated ankle tendons.
Vancouver took a 2-1 lead into the third period but Vanek gave the Sabres a tie with a power-play goal at 1:49. His shot went off the post, goalie Roberto Luongo's back and into the net.
Tim Connolly drew an assist to extend his points streak to 16 games, tied the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history.
Buffalo took a 1-0 lead early in the second period when Mair went to the net as Matt Ellis's pass found its way through Luongo's crease.
Mair tapped in the puck for his first goal of the season and first in 45 games dating back to March 28, 2009.
Samuelsson tied the game five minutes later with his 18th goal of the season and eighth in his last 13 games.
He took Mason Raymond's pass inside the Buffalo blue-line, faked twice as he worked to the front of the net and slid the puck under Miller.
Henrik Sedin, who leads the NHL in points, gave Vancouver the lead just after coming off the bench to take Alex Burrows' pass at the Sabres blue-line.
Sedin was alone against Miller when he faked backhand then scored his team-leading 24th goal and fourth in five games by sliding the puck behind him on the forehand.
The assist extended Burrows' points streak to 12 games, the longest since a similar streak by Todd Bertuzzi in January 2003.
The Canucks almost extended the lead in the final minute of the second period when Ryan Kesler hit the post on a Vancouver power play.
Seconds later Buffalo defenceman Craig Rivet banked a puck in off Vancouver defenceman Christian Ehrhoff on an odd-man rush but the goal was disallowed because Sabre Paul Gaustad had taken a cross-checking penalty during the play.
NOTES: The contest concluded an 11,656-kilometre, two-week, seven-game road trip for Buffalo ... it was the first meeting between the clubs since Oct. 17, 2008 when the Sabres won 5-2 at home ... Buffalo last played here four years ago ... Miller is likely to be the No. 1 goalie for the U.S. Olympic team while Luongo is seeking to start ahead of Martin Brodeur for Canada.
