VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 12 (UPI) -- Brendan Morrison had a two-goal game Tuesday night as the Vancouver Canucks overturned the New York Islanders, 4-3.
Morrison scored his second goal of the game to tie the contest, defenseman Sami Salo netted the game-winner less than seven minutes later, and the Canucks got help from an early whistle.
Less than 30 seconds after Salo's eighth goal of the season gave the Canucks the lead, Shawn Bates raced in on a breakaway and slid a backhander under goaltender Peter Skudra to even the game, but referee Don Koharski blew the play dead from the Islanders' zone just before the puck crossed the goal line as New York defenseman Radek Martinek was injured after being hit with a high stick by Jarkko Ruutu.
After a brief consultation with fellow referee Rob Martell, Koharski informed New York the goal would not stand, but offered no explanation why no penalty was called when Ruutu's high stick drew blood from Martinek.
With the loss, the Islanders remained just four points ahead of the archrival New York Rangers for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand.
Todd Bertuzzi scored a goal and set up two others for the Canucks, while captain Markus Naslund added two assists to increase his league-leading points total to a career-high 91.
Oleg Kvasha, Jason Blake, and newcomer Randy Robitaille tallied for the Islanders, who have lost four straight.
