BEST APOLOGY

 "For his first game, with what I put him through today, I thought he responded real well. I'm not putting that kid in a fair environment. He played last night (AHL) and travelled all day for his first NHL game. I met him at 5 p.m. and just talked to him for five minutes and said to have fun with it."

— Canucks coach Alain Vigneault on Steve Pinizzotto's effort, which included a first-shift fight with Kevin Klein, after the fourth-line winger was recalled from the Chicago Wolves.

 BEST REDEMPTION

 After taking a bad interference penalty in his own zone off a pick, Canucks centre Maxim Lapierre exited the penalty box, took a long lead pass from Dale Weise and beat Pekka Rinne between the pads to make it 4-1 and chase the starter, the third-straight time in Vancouver he's been hooked.

 BEST RELIEF 1.0

 Canucks defenceman Chris Tanev — arguably the club's most-consistent blueliner — took a Shea Weber slapper off his left knee in the third period and left for medical attention but then returned to finish the game.

 BEST RELIEF 2.0

 After nearly deflecting home a Kevin Bieksa point shot and then hitting the post on an empty-net try, winger David Booth finally scored his first goal of the season in his 11th game with an empty-netter at 18:23.

 BEST GOOD, BAD

 Andrew Ebbett opened scoring and added two assists on an effective speed line with Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen that combined for eight points. But Ebbett won just two of 13 face-offs.

 BEST HASHTAG

 #freekeithballard 

 — Canucks defenceman has been a healthy scratch in four of last six games.