VANCOUVER _ The Detroit Red Wings carried play through two periods, but couldn't close out their opponent.
They blew a lead in the third period Sunday at Rogers Arena and lost another close game, falling 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks.
It was a disappointing end after a dominating start. The Wings salted pucks at Jacob Markstrom but didn't break him until halfway through, when Frans Nielsen contributed his eight goal of the season. Nielsen picked up his second point of the game when he set up Thomas Vanek's 10th goal of the season. That was also Vanek's second point of the game.
The good story the Wings had going was spoiled in the third period, as the Canucks scored twice. The Wings finished with a 37-31 edge in shots.
The Wings had the better jump to start the game, carrying play through the first 10-12 minutes. A power play at the 3:23 mark had Dylan Larkin's unit generate several good chances, numbering a slap shot by Anthony Mantha and a tip-in attempt from Vanek. There were five shots on Markstrom total during the stretch. The Canucks got the first goal, though, thanks to the hand-eye coordination of their rookie phenom, Elias Pettersson. Brock Boeser fired a shot from the right point that Pettersson deflected in the air, picking up his 23rd goal of the season.
The Wings had 11 shots on net after the first period, and 10 more before the midpoint of the second period. Pettersson turned the puck over in Detroit's zone, and Larkin's line turned that into a two scoring chances. They finally broke through at 8:34, when Nielsen one-timed Mantha's pass from the right circle. That was the Wings' 22nd shot on net. It was Mantha's fourth point in five games. The Wings turned another Pettersson turnover into a lead, with Nielsen finding Danny DeKeyser, who fired a shot on net that Vanek tipped, at 14:24 of the second period. That was Vanek's sixth point the last four games.
Vanek set up Mantha in the third period, but Mantha couldn't get much on his shot.
The Wings lost their previous game because they lost the special teams battle to Calgary. They went on their third power play at Vancouver soon after Bo Horvat tied the game at 7:27 of the third period. Unlike their first two power plays, where they created chances, this one saw them unable to get a shot on Markstrom. Not only that, but Bernier had to make a stop on Antoine Roussel as he came out of the penalty box and took possession of the puck. Roussel put the Canucks up, 3-2, at 13:13 after Nielsen failed to cover him.
