Canucks close in on Brunnstrom

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The Vancouver Canucks stumbled in their run toward a playoff position, but have won a heated race for late-blooming Swedish forward Fabian Brunnstrom.

The Canucks are close to signing the 23-year-old unrestricted free-agent winger to a three-year, entry-level contract, but he couldn't commit to an NHL deal until his season concluded.

The undrafted Brunnstrom had 37 points (9-28) this season with Farjestads BK Karlstad of the Swedish Elite League and the prospect of top-six ice time - plus an opportunity to play alongside countrymen Henrik and Daniel Sedin - helped woo the left-winger to the West Coast.

The Canucks were in competition with finalists Detroit and Toronto for the six-foot-one, 203-pound Swede and as many as 20 teams had expressed interest in Brunnstrom. The runner-up Red Wings had also tendered a contract offer.

Canucks general manager Dave Nonis reserved comment Sunday, but his persistent job of selling Brunnstrom on playing a prominent role in Vancouver clearly impressed the Swede.

Brunnstrom had given agent J.P. Barry a list of five NHL teams he would consider - the other two were Philadelphia and Anaheim - and competing offers will see the left-shot winger earn up to $2 million US next season when bonuses are applied to the $875,000 cap figure.

"He has gone from a nobody to a player who really has made a name for himself - he has a lot of talent, for sure," said Canucks European scout Thomas Gradin. "He's a big player who can skate and he's a very fast skater for his size. He's a very good prospect."

Biron does it all

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Martin Biron gave his club a new lease on life Sunday with a 2-0 shutout of the Washington Capitals to tie their first-round playoff series.

And early this morning he'll be at his pregnant wife Anne Marie's side, when she is scheduled to undergo a Caesarean section to deliver the couple's third child.

"The doctor told me to be there at 5 in the morning . . . he said he scheduled it early, so I could go to practice," said Biron, who'll be on the ice for today's 11 a.m. skate at their rink likely feeling sky-high.

A perfect game one day, a beautiful baby the next.

This will be the third C-section for Anne Marie.

"The last couple of weeks at the end of the season, not knowing what date it was going to be on or what we were going to do with the playoff schedule, it was hard," said Biron.

The due date was originally scheduled for Friday, but it was moved up to give Biron some time at home with his new baby.

"I've got to be home to help her out a little bit."

He helped his teammates out a whole lot Sunday, especially in the first period when the Capitals had four power plays, then early in the third when he robbed Matt Cooke in alone to keep it 2-0 and keep the crowd out of the game.

The Red Zone

Tonight's game will be the Ottawa Senators' first home playoff contest since Games 3 and 4 of last year's Stanley Cup final against the Anaheim Ducks.

Head coach/general manager Bryan Murray said the team was looking forward to a welcome from Ottawa fans.

"I hope they give us a boost," he said. "I looked at all the games around the league in the last couple of days, and the towel-waving and all the things that went on. They don't play the game but they do give emotion, and hopefully would lift the players.

"It's exciting for the young players in particular to have that adrenalin rush when they come on the ice and the fans are supportive. It really shouldn't matter that much, although I know it does, that we haven't played a home game and we are down two. We hope that they'll help."

Roberts inspires young Pens

It's unlikely Ottawa Senators fans will be waving "Welcome Back, Gary" signs to visiting 41-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins winger Gary Roberts tonight.

While Roberts' impressive history against the Senators is no secret, Penguins coach Michel Therrien says Roberts' work ethic is what makes him a role model for the entire organization.

"He's playing very great for us," Therrien said. "He's truly an inspiration for us, for our young players. He was playing when a lot of those guys were kids. He's in great shape. For him to be playing at the level he is playing, after not playing for three months, is phenomenal.

"It's tough for a young guy, after not playing for two or three months to come back, the timing is not there, but what he has shown us so far in the playoffs, it's pretty phenomenal."

Ice chip:

The Phoenix Coyotes have signed forward Chad Kolarik to an entry-level contract. Kolarik, 22, recently completed his senior season at the University of Michigan where he helped lead the Wolverines to their 23rd Frozen Four appearance in school history. Kolarik finished the season ranked second on the team in scoring with 30-26-56. He also ranked third in the nation in points and fourth in goals. The native of Abington, Pa., was selected by the Coyotes in the seventh round (199th overall) of the 2004 entry draft.