VANCOUVER Two big leads, two overtime losses. For the second time in as many games of the 2016-17 season, the Carolina Hurricanes squandered a three-goal lead and lost in overtime, falling 4-3 to the Vancouver Canucks.Canucks center Brandon Sutter scored 32 seconds into overtime to give Vancouver the victory. It was the second winner in as many nights for the former Hurricanes first-round pick: Saturday Sutter finished off the Flames in the shootout.”It’s a long season,” Sutter said. “To come from behind twice like that in our own rink is big, something that we didn’t do very well last year.”Vancouver (2-0-0) trailed 3-0 with 5:28 gone in the second period Sunday. Center Bo Horvat’s goal at 12:03 of the second started the comeback. The Canucks tied the game in the third with goals from center Markus Granlund, who also had an assist, and defenseman Ben Hutton.Vancouver also trailed the Flames 1-0 going in the third period Saturday. The Canucks were 3-30-1 when trailing after two periods last season.Canucks coach Willie Desjardins likes what his team is showing early this season.”It’s better than losing,” he said. “It’s nice to get the wins.”Both games we were down in the third and found a way. We didn’t do that a lot last year when we got behind.”Sutter ended the overtime quickly. He picked up a loose puck in the Vancouver zone, skated the length of the ice, then blew a shot over the shoulder of Carolina goaltender Eddie Lack.”I just tried to get my feet going, get skating,” Sutter said. “Their D really didn’t commit to me much, so I figured I’d take a chance at a shot, and it worked out.”It was another game that got away from the Hurricanes, who are 0-6-3 in their past nine visits to Vancouver.Carolina blew a 4-1, third-period lead in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets in their season-opening game. The Hurricanes are 0-0-2 to start the season.”We have to find ways to win,” Carolina center Jordan Staal said. “We’ve done some good things through these games. Obviously, we haven’t finished strong. We have to find a way to do that.”The Canucks controlled the game early in the first period, outshooting the Hurricanes 8-1 at one point. Carolina took the lead with a pair of goals 1:34 apart.Vancouver took control again in the third period, outshooting Carolina 13-5.Hutton said the Canucks talked about the Hurricanes’ collapse in Winnipeg between the second and third period.”We knew if we kept pushing and pushing and pushing, eventually they’d break, and that’s what happened,” he said.Defenseman Justin Faulk scored a goal and added an assist for Carolina. Center Victor Rask and left winger Teuvo Teravainen, on the power play, also scored.Lack, who made 27 saves on the night, said the Hurricanes can’t keep giving away points.”It’s not good,” he said. “It’s obviously something we are going to have to address as a team.”I feel like we had the game under control. We do play a good team game and everything, and then it’s individual mistakes. We’re giving the puck away.”Coach Bill Peters said Carolina can’t be content to sit on leads.He also wasn’t happy with a second-period penalty his team took. The Canucks scored their first goal seconds after that penalty ended.”You have to extend the lead,” he said. “How did it start, 3-0?”We took an own-zone penalty. Is that a good penalty? There you go. Identify the problem and be solution-based. That’s what we will do.”Goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 19 shots in his first start of the season for Vancouver.Horvat said the quick start to the season has given some confidence to a Canucks team that some picked to finish last in the league.”It gives everybody hope knowing we can come back when we are down like this and we don’t give up,” said Horvat, who has scored six goals in four career games against Carolina. “It shows great character on our part. We battled right to the end, never gave up.”NOTES: Horvat moved up from the fourth line to a unit with LW Sven Baertschi and RW Jake Virtanen. C Brendan Gaunce replaced Horvat between LW Alex Burrows and RW Derek Dorsett. … Vancouver’s scratches were RW Jack Skille, D Nikita Tryamkin and D Alex Biega. … Vancouver’s homestand continues Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. … D Jakub Nakladal, signed by Carolina as a free agent, practiced with the team Saturday but didn’t dress for the Sunday game. … Carolina’s other scratches were LW Phillip Di Giuseppe and RW Martin Frk. … The Hurricanes’ Western Canadian road swing continues Tuesday in Edmonton. … Carolina’s last win in Vancouver came on Oct. 15, 1999.
