Canucks try to get back on track for Game 3

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo makes a save during second period NHL action against the Chicago Blackhawks in game 2 of the western conference semi-final at GM Place in Vancouver, Saturday, May 2, 2009. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

After earning a split in the first two games of the Western Conference semifinals in British Columbia, the fourth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks will try to take a 2-1 series lead when they host the Vancouver Canucks tonight in Game 3 at the United Center.

The Blackhawks were handed a 5-3 loss in the series opener last Thursday, but bounced back with a 6-3 triumph in Saturday's matchup at General Motors Place.

Vancouver's Roberto Luongo allowed all five goals on 31 shots against. It was the most goals surrendered by Luongo since the Canucks lost a 6-5 overtime test against Anaheim on April 2.

Sami Salo, who netted the game-winner on Friday, Alexander Edler and Henrik Sedin each scored for the Canucks, but Vancouver was still handed its first loss of this postseason. Mats Sundin had two assists for the Canucks.

Salo, one of the club's top all-around defenseman, will miss tonight's game with a lower-body injury suffered in the first period of Game 2. Forward Pavol Demitra sustained an undisclosed injury later in the contest and is questionable for Game 3.

Chicago had a 24-9-8 record at home during the regular season and won all three of its home tests during a six-game series victory over Calgary in the opening round.

Vancouver had a solid 21-15-5 mark as the visiting team this season and was 2-0 on the road in its opening-round sweep of St. Louis.

Chicago has shown the ability to come back so far in this series, as it once again erased a multiple-goal deficit against the Canucks in Game 2. The Blackhawks trailed 3-0 after two periods in the opener and came back to tie the game only to lose the 5-3 decision.

On Saturday, however, the Blackhawks came back from a 2-0 deficit en route to the 6-3 triumph. Chicago scored five unanswered goals to take control of the game and even the series at one win apiece.

Patrick Sharp led the way with two goals on Saturday and now has five goals in the playoffs.

Chicago goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin rebounded after allowing the game-winner with 73 seconds to go on Thursday. There were no late heroics for the Canucks in Game 2, as Khabibulin made 18 saves in the win.

Dave Bolland recorded a shorthanded tally and an empty-netter, while Patrick Kane added a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks. Kane, Sharp, Kris Versteeg and Brent Seabrook are leading Chicago with eight points each in the postseason.

The Canucks and Blackhawks met four times during the regular season and split the series with two wins apiece.

The clubs have met just twice in the postseason and each team has won a round. They last met in 1995, when Chicago swept Vancouver in four games during the conference semifinals.

Neither the Blackhawks nor the Canucks have made it to the conference finals since the mid-1990s, but that will change for one club with the outcome of this series. Chicago made it to the West finals last in 1995, where it lost to Detroit in five games. The Canucks were last participants in the conference finals in 1994, when they made it to the franchise's second Stanley Cup Finals before falling in seven games to the New York Rangers.