VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 24 (UPI) -- Steve Yzerman scored 56 seconds into the third period Tuesday night as the Detroit Red Wings, who squandered a two-goal lead, tied their NHL Western Conference quarterfinal series at two wins apiece with a 4-2 triumph over the Vancouver Canucks.
Yzerman, still hobbled by a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the last two months of the regular season, also set up a first-period goal by defenseman Chris Chelios, and has seven points in the first four games of the best-of-seven series. He also passed Gordie Howe as the leading playoff scorer in the Red Wings' lengthy postseason history.
With the Canucks owning all the momentum after erasing a 2-0 deficit, Yzerman silenced the boisterous crowd and put top-seeded Detroit back in control of the series.
Vancouver defenseman Mattias Ohlund lost an edge and coughed up the puck in the right corner. Brendan Shanahan moved it to Sergei Fedorov, who spotted Yzerman in front of the net. Dan Cloutier went down and lost his stick, enabling the Red Wings' long-time captain to move around the goaltender and push the puck just across the goal line.
Kris Draper, who was stopped by Cloutier on a shorthanded breakaway with 5:03 remaining, scored into an empty net with 53 seconds to play.
It sealed Detroit's second straight win after losing the first two games at Joe Louis Arena.
Ohlund and Matt Cooke scored in the second period for the Canucks, who have lost five straight home playoff games since the 1996 conference quarterfinals.
