Coyotes 2 Canucks 5

The game that started with the spotlight on Jovanovski ended with Kevin Bieksa stealing the show. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, who was at the game, had to be impressed with Bieksa, who patrolled Vancouver's blueline with Keith Richards-like cool. On Saturday in Calgary, Bieksa was the Canucks' best defenceman. Tuesday, he was better.

Bieksa played more shifts than anyone in the game, played more minutes (24:09) than any other Canuck, scored a goal and added an assist. He has four points in his past two games.

Getting the Canucks going eight minutes in with a goal-scorer's goal replete with lots of patience in front of net, Morrison was full of life all night, getting himself noticed on virtually every shift, making most everyone forget his hip surgery.

"To be honest with you, I think I've been skating a lot better in the last three weeks but I think there's more to come," said Morrison. "I spoke to the surgeon three weeks ago and the procedure has only been done for five years over here -- longer in Europe. He said the recovery is a lot like an ACL in that you can get back playing in four or five months but you won't feel 100 per cent for a year. So I don't think I'm completely there yet."

• Brad Ziemer (Vancouver Sun) says the Coyotes can come back anytime. That'd be nice. After last night's game, I'm sure the league's lowest-scoring team will welcome the league's worst defense.
• Before last night's game, Ed Jovanovski said he would have loved to stay with Vancouver. Afterwards, I wonder if he actually did. Iain MacIntyre (Vancouver Sun) also has more on Jovocop.

1. Kevin Bieksa (VAN): Goal, assist, seven shots and a +4 rating.
2. Brendan Morrison (VAN): One assist extended his point streak to three games. Starting to look like Mo circa 2003 out there.
3. Mattias Ohlund (VAN): One goal and very solid on his own end.

About the game around the blogosphere

• The Chief Canuck is back, giving his good and bad. Nothing ugly about last night's game.

• Scoresheet
• Stat Sheet
• Shift Chart