Canucks top Red Wings in potential playoff preview

For a game in the dead of winter, Thursday night's showdown in Motown provided a tantalizing prospect of what could be in lat May, as the two top teams in the Western Division squared off, with the Canucks besting their hosts in a shoot out.

It was perhaps one of the more exciting of regular season games thus far in the 2011-12 campaign, two teams that seem set for the playoffs already, perhaps not requiring much if anything by Monday's trade deadline to improve their squads.

The Canucks proved to be up to a challenge that had eluded NHL teams in the previous 23 games, that of ending the Red Wings remarkable winning streak at the Joe, not for lack of effort mind you, as the Wings and Canucks traded scores through three periods, wrapping up regulation time in a draw, with nothing solved by the OT, it came down to Roberto Luongo and Jimmy Howard to stare down the shooters, Luongo outlasting his Detroit rival.

The Canucks Alexandre Burrows can most likely add another city to the "we hate Burrows club", it was his OT marker that brought an end to the Red Wings record run, though to his credit Burrows made mention of the record in his post game comments, paying his props to the Wings for their success.

The game, while enthralling was at times limited by the officials who seemed to enjoy the close up shots for Sportsnet that blowing the play dead would provide, penalty calls early on in the game threatened to choke out much of the flow of a good hockey game, but on this occasion the two teams prevailed to still deliver a fast paced night of action.

If the Hockey Gods are of a mind, this would be a nice little seven game series when May rolls around.

Vancouver Province-- Canucks stop Red Wings 23 game streak dead with Burrow's SO goal
Vancouver Province-- Canucks and Wings showdown Joe Louis doesn't settle much
Vancouver Province-- Luongo magic in Motor City for Canucks
Vancouver Sun-- Canucks snap Red Wings record-setting winning streak
National Post-- Canucks become a part of history
Detroit Free Press-- Oh, shoot! Wings' home win streak ends at 23 
Detroit News-- Wings' streak fizzles in stunning fashion
Detroit News-- Wings' 23 game home win streak ends with shootout loss to Canucks
Detroit News-- Canucks leave Detroit full of confidence