VANCOUVER - For one game at least, Zack Kassian lived up to his billing as a power forward who can produce points. Kassian recorded four assists to earn the first four-point night of his star-crossed NHL career Sunday night as the Vancouver Canucks rallied to beat his former team, the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. "It was one of those games (where) it seemed the puck followed me," said Kassian. "Its nice personally, but its even better we keep this streak going." The Canucks (33-30-10) have now posted two consecutive wins for the first time since mid-January. Vancouver pulled within three points of eighth-place Phoenix, and one point of ninth-place Dallas in the race for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Sabres (20-43-8), last in the NHL by a wide margin, suffered their eighth loss in the past 10 games as they squandered an early 2-0 lead. Brad Richardson, Shawn Matthias, Yannick Weber and David Booth, with his first goal in 33 games, scored for the Canucks, who have won five of their last eight contests. The Sabres went ahead 2-0 only 3:29 into the game, but the score was tied 2-2 after the first period and the Canucks led 3-2 following the second. "In this league you cant play good sometimes," said Sabres coach Ted Nolan. "Youve got to play good all the time. Thats a lesson to learn and something we have to do to move forward." Tyler Ennis and Jamie McBain provided the offence for Buffalo. Kassian has often faced criticism since he was traded to Vancouver from the Sabres at the NHL trade deadline in February 2012 in the four-player deal that saw former Canuck fan favourite Cody Hodgson head to Buffalo. Kassian, Buffalos top 2009 draft pick (13th overall) excelled offensively two days after saying he is playing primarily a checking role now while Hodgson is primarily an offensive player. Hodgson, Vancouvers first choice (10th overall) in 2008, went without a point while the Sabres were badly outplayed for most of the game. "Im excited for every game, but obviously you want to play hard against your old team," said Kassian. "You definitely want to get the win, but its nice when you play well individually and as a line." Matthias, who was acquired in the Roberto Luongo trade from Florida, also had two assists while Richardson had one helper. The Canucks had not posted two straight wins since beating the Calgary Flames on Jan. 18, when coach John Tortorella drew a suspension for charging their dressing room between the first and second periods, and Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 21. Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack overcame a slow start to earn the win. After allowing goals on Buffalos first and third shots of the game, Lack was sharp and finished with 16 saves. "The team did a great job bouncing back," said Lack. "I felt like I wasnt really tracking the puck well the first half of the game but then I just kind of settled down and felt better after that." Vancouvers quick rally from its early deficit spoiled a strong effort from rookie Buffalo goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, a 22-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., native who made just his second NHL career start and third appearance after being promoted from Rochester of the AHL on March 16. He recorded 32 saves as his club was outshot 36-18. "Thats frustrating and thats hockey," he said. "You get some good bounces and you do good things and you make mistakes, so Ill definitely learn from it." Weber scored the winning goal just 1:40 into the second period as he put a shot through Lieuwens legs to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead. Sabres defenceman Mike Weber was close to his Canuck namesake on the play, but Lieuwen said the puck went straight in. "I thought I had it and, obviously, there was a hole," said Lieuwen. "I dont know what to tell you. Thats obviously one that I feel I can obviously save. What a terrible night for that to go in." The goal sullied his "dream come true" of playing in Vancouver, where he has "tonnes of family." Ennis was also left frustrated as he watched the Sabres lead disintegrate after he had McBain had put them ahead. "We heard (Lack) has been shaky, so we wanted to get on him early, and we did," said Ennis. Kassian was not around for the final horn because he took a puck between the eyes, for the second time on the night, with 1:32 left in the game. He needed "about 10 stitches" to repair a cut. "So my face isnt getting any prettier, thats for sure," he said. Notes: Vancouver lost Henrik Sedin to an apparent knee injury late in the second period as he collided with a fallen Buffalo player behind the Sabres net. "I went to hit a guy and he came back off the boards and he fell on top of me, so well see how it is (Monday)," said Sedin. The mishap occurred after the Canucks and NHL honoured the Canucks captain for his 1,000th NHL game, played March 12 in Winnipeg. NHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Jim Gregory represented the league. ... Vancouver forwards Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin returned after suffering injuries earlier this month, but Alex Burrows missed the game with a hand injury suffered Thursday against Nashville. ... Hodgson played his 200th NHL regular-season game. … Lack made his 35th start of the season. At the outset of the season, Tortorella indicated he would get 15-20 starts. … Buffalo defenceman Alexander Sulzer, who was acquired with Hodgson from the Canucks, missed his fifth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. … Sabres starting goaltender Michal Neuvirth, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, also missed his fourth consecutive contest, with a lower-body ailment. … Neuvirth and Matt Hackett, who dressed as Buffalos backup, were traded for each other in the 2007-08 OHL season. Neuvirth went to Windsor from Plymouth while Hackett went the other way. Cheap Shoes Clearance . “Im not sure well get Melky Cabrera at all,” said Gibbons. The 29-year-old left fielder struggled all season with knee and hamstring problems. Cabrera was first on the disabled list from June 27-July 20 with tendinitis in his left knee. Cheap Shoes From China Online . The post-season, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. http://www.shoescheap.us/. He looked very comfortable Wednesday night. Konerko had a big three-run double and Gordon Beckham homered for the second straight game, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the sliding Chicago Cubs. Discount Shoes Online Free Shipping . First, the Red Wings scored the tying goal after officials missed the puck hitting the protective netting, then the Kings wound up losing in a shootout. That could affect playoff positioning in the Eastern and Western Conferences, and thats a concern for everyone. Discount Shoes Online . Directly ahead was open field, the end zone and the Seattle Seahawks place in the NFC championship game.TSN Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger have the latest on expanded video review, changes to overtime, face-off modifications and the NHL potentially allowing kicked-in goals. Are GMs any closer to a consensus on expanded video review that would include goaltender interference? Bob McKenzie: I wouldnt go as so far as to say that theyre reaching consensus, but they are having some scintillating conversations that we never heard before on goalie interference and that is this - in the breakout group that they had today, a couple of the general managers, Brian Burke and Bryan Murray amongst others, said that, if they want to go to review goaltender interference, they would like the referees to be able to it on the ice, in the penalty box with a monitor there, NFL-style. Thats never really been discussed before. The NHL has always been hesitant to do it. It will be interesting to see whether it gets any support from the larger group on Tuesday. Darren Dreger: Additonal video review is generally a hot-button topic at these meetings. Weve talked, seemingly, on an annual basis about the coachs challenge. Well again, that has legs. Theres some concern as to how you work out the details. The devil is in the details with the criteria. If the puck leaves the zone, does that nullify the coachs challenge? If theres a change in possession, does that nullify the challenge? I think you could see some real traction on additional video review for goaltender interference, but also the puck off the net that ends up in the goal and, perhaps, looking at offsides, like the Matt Duchene goal scored last year. That still haunts the NHL and video review could have stopped that. Could we see it expanded in time for the playoffs? Dreger: Very, very unlikely. I think its a long shot at best because theres a review process that the NHL has to go through that includes the competition committee and, ultimately, the Board of Governors would have to sign off on it during the Stanley Cup finals. Ken Hollands proposal for a three-on-three overtime, as they try to reduce the number of shootouts, seemed to be gaining momentum. Has it now hit a major roadblock? McKenzie: It certainly seems ass if that momentum has dissipated.dddddddddddd Everybody who was talking about it at the November general managers meetings in Toronto arent talking about it now. Glen Sather, New York Rangers general manager, called three-on-three overtime a pipe dream. Nobody seems to be talking that up too much, but what they are talking about is, potentially, doing a dry scrape of the ice before overtime instead of after, when they normally do it before the shootout, and going to the long change format, that is with the goaltender in the same position as he is in the second period, furthest away from the teams bench. A much harder change that usually results in more goal-scoring in the second period. Face-offs and Face-off markings were also under scrutiny on Monday. What options for change are there? Dreger: Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues pitched a novel idea, stealing from the Olympic tournament, in how the alignment was used in the Olympics, with the spacing between the hashmarks. In the NHL, theres just a three-foot separation. In the Olympics, it was five feet and, should the NHL consider that, it would create more space and there would be less contact, so the forwards could have some more room to move. Another face-off idea, and I think its a long shot at best, is trying to get rid of wasted time in throwing the centremen out of the face-off circle when hes completed an illegal draw. Move that centre back one foot is an idea that was pitched on day one. Some are intrigued by it to the point that they want further discussion, but I dont see this one flying. Is the NHL seriously considering counting all goals kicked in with the skate on the ice? McKenzie: Well, they are certainly talking about it and its a big step forward. They are looking at a liberalized kicking-in of goals, but were going to wait to see. You just never know. Dreger: Im sure the Players Association will have some input on that and, certainly, any overtime modifications being made. We know that Mathieu Schneider, Joe Reekie and Rob Zamuner will attend Tuesdays meetings and the sense is that they have some thoughts of their own on some tweaks or changes that might help grow the game. ' ' '