In Vancouver, the Canucks handed the visiting Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 loss on Tuesday night. 
While the Sabres had been winning, others around them were losing. On Tuesday night, the opposite, with their challengers winning in the eastern conference.
The loss effectively ends the Sabres’ run at a playoff spot.
Casey DeSmith made 15 saves in the win.
The Canucks improved to 43-18-8.
“I thought we played hard, played a good game,” Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes said. “I thought our power play probably could have gone [5-for-5] and the [defensemen were] really good and the forwards worked and put pressure on their mobile group, and we had a lot of looks.”
Conor Garland, scored at 4:06 of the opening stanza for a 1-0 lead to the Canucks.
Elias Pettersson potted his first of two on the night at 13:46 off the power play.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Pettersson said about the power play. “We had looks to score on every chance that we got tonight, so that’s a good thing, and just keep building on it.”
The Sabres dropped to 33-32-5.
Rasmus Dahlin s hit for a double for Buffalo, his first came at 9:23 of the third period to trim the deficit to 2-1.
“He’s just highly skilled. The shot fakes and the toe drags, he’s got it all,” DeSmith said. “That was a world-class play by him, and I would have liked to have it, but at least we got the W.”
Pettersson collected his double when he hit an empty net 1:51 left on the game clock for a 3-1 lead to Vancouver.
“We gave it our all,” Dahlin said. “Good team over there, back-to-back, we played our [butts] off.”
Dahlin potted his double with 22 seconds left for the 3-2 final count on the scoreboard.
“Rasmus is one [heck] of a leader. He battled,” Granato said. “On a night where there was not a lot going right, you have a chance to win with Devon playing very well and Rasmus stepping up.”
Buffalo went 0-for-4 on the power play.
“We’ve got to take care of the power play more,” Dahlin said. “I have to do a better job. We have to figure something out there.”
Devon Levi made 31 saves in the loss.
“Devon gave us a chance all the way through late to get a point or win a hockey game, and you can’t ask more than that as your goaltender,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said, “Especially in these situations, back-to-back, a great building, a team rested, a team hungry and a highly skilled team. He was great in there and gave us a chance.”
Levi had been recalled from the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey Leagues.
“You can feel it a bit, but that’s what makes it fun, that’s what makes this game meaningful,” Levi said. “You know it’s a big game and the boys are relying on you, and there’s no better feeling than having that on your back and being able to give everything you got for the team in a special moment. It’s great to be back. I feel like the transition has been seamless.”
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