VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Goaltender Dan Cloutier played the spoiler in Pavel Bure's highly anticipated return to Vancouver Tuesday night. With just over three minutes left in overtime, Cloutier fended off Bure's breakaway from center ice as the Vancouver Canucks salvaged a 2-2 tie with the Florida Panthers.
Making his first appearance in Vancouver since he was traded to the Panthers, Bure picked up the puck in the neutral zone and skated in alone on Cloutier. Bure tried to slip it between the goalie's pads, but Cloutier managed to get the paddle of his stick on the ice for the save.
After spending seven seasons in the Canucks' organization, Bure demanded a trade at the start of the 1998-99 season. He finally was moved on Jan. 7, 1999 in a seven-player deal that sent defenseman Ed Jovanovski to Vancouver.
Jovanovski scored the tying goal with 15:49 remaining. Markus Naslund's wrist shot from the right faceoff circle bounced off Jovanovski's shin and into the net.
Bure opened the scoring 96 seconds into the second period when he snuck behind Brendan Morrison, stole the puck, skated in alone on Cloutier and deked to his backhand. It was his second goal of the season and second in as many games.
Vancouver answered 70 seconds later on a goal by Harold Druken, who took a cross-ice pass from Matt Cooke at the left circle, spun and fired a slap shot past goalie Trevor Kidd.
Rookie Kristian Huselius gave Florida a 2-1 lead with 2:34 remaining in the period. He intercepted a pass by Trent Klatt at the Panthers' blue line and skated in 2-on-1 with Bure. Using Bure as a decoy, Huselius scored on a wrist shot from the right circle.
The Canucks had a chance to win it a minute into overtime during a goalmouth scramble, but the puck was kicked just left of the net.
