The Blackhawks lost their starting goalie, Corey Crawford, indefinitely to an upper-body injury when he was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.
They lost their third game in a row Thursday, 5-2 to the Canucks, who were 1-7-1, including four losses in a row, in their previous nine games.
Anton Forsberg started in goal in place of Crawford, who has an upper-body injury and "could be out for a bit," according to Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.
Forsberg made some spectacular saves among his 26, but the Hawks generated little offense to support him as the Canucks crept to within two points of the Hawks in the standings.
The Canucks struck first, when Sam Gagner deflected a shot past Forsberg 7 minutes, 3 seconds into the first period, just after Gustav Forsling had finished serving a two-minute penalty for tripping.
Forsberg stopped 12 shots in the first period, though, including one with his stick against Ben Hutton that looked like a sure goal. He made six more saves in the second.
Meanwhile, the Hawks ended another dubious streak and tied the score when Nick Schmaltz took a pass from Patrick Kane and converted it into the team's first power-play goal in seven games.
The Blackhawks had been 2 for 43 with an advantage before the score.
But the Canucks' Thomas Vanek scored on a pass from Gagner with seven minutes left in the second to take a 2-1 lead.
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