Canucks Rout Capitals 4-1

    The Canucks grabbed Washington by the throat and never let go in a 4-1 throttling at GM Place. The story in this game was rookie RW Bill Muckalt's three point perfomance, which vaults him into a tie for first place in rookie scoring with Florida's Mike Parrish. Muckalt assisted on the first three Canuck goals. The last goal was scored by C Mark Messier, shorthanded, when D Dmitri Mironov made a terrible turnover at Vancouver's blue line while on the power play. Messier skated the length of the ice, and snapped the puck five-hole on G Olaf Kolzig. That's Messier's 602nd career goal, which ties him for eigth place on the all time scoring list with Florida's Dino Ciccarelli.
    G Corey Hirsch made his first start for the Canucks this season and looked sharp all night, keeping the Capitals to only one goal.
    The win gives Canucks first place in the Northwest Divison, ahead of Edmonton by one point.