Offtopic » WASHINGTON (AP) — Vancouver Canucks defenseman

Alexander Edler avoided long-term injury from hitting his head on the ice but will be out at least a week with a concussion.Coach Travis Green said Tuesday that X-rays revealed no facial fractures. Edler was released from the hospital and headed back to Vancouver.Edler will miss at least three games Richard Panik Jersey , but the Canucks are glad it wasn’t worse.“Obviously a scary incident,” Green said. “Medical staff I thought did a great job getting out there as quick as they did, and we’re thankful that he’s going to be all right.”Edler’s skate got caught in the stick of Flyers winger Jakub Voracek in the first period Monday night, causing him to lose his balance and slam into the ice. Edler lay motionless on the ice before being wheeled off on a stretcher.The 32-year-old Swede leads the Canucks in ice time and has 20 points in 38 games this season.“You don’t want to lose your top guys,” Green said before facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals. “He’s a big part of our team. It’s what it is. Teams face injuries a lot. He’s one of our best players on our team. He’s a good player.”Rookie goaltender Thatcher Demko was injured in warmups Monday, forcing Jacob Markstrom to make back-to-back starts. Green said Demko was returning to Vancouver to have an MRI on one of his knees.The Canucks recalled defenseman Guillaume Brisebois and junior goalie Mike DiPietro before facing the Capitals. Green figures DiPietro will be with the team through its game at Chicago on Thursday. TAMPA Womens Shane Doan Jersey , Fla. (AP) — Anders Nilsson had a busy and productive first start of the season for the Vancouver Canucks.Nilsson stopped 16 of 17 shots in the first period and finished with 33 in the Canucks’ 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.“I had to get going right away,” Nilsson said. “I felt confident going in the game. I’ve been feeling good the last couple weeks so I’ve been eager to get into a game eventually. I was excited to get the start and get to play.”Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser scored 1:10 apart in the third period, and Markus Granlund and Jake Virtanen added empty net goals for the Canucks. Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves.Vancouver’s rally was started when Pettersson, who has four goals and three assists in four games, deflected Derrick Pouliot’s point shot past Vasilevskiy at 11:07 of the third period.“I thought it was going to hit my stomach and I was going to shoot a rebound Anders Bjork Jersey ,” Pettersson said. “After it hit me I lost the puck and next thing you know it’s a goal. Very lucky, but I’ll take it. Every goal is worth one goal so it doesn’t matter how ugly or nice it is.”Boeser gave the Canucks the lead with his first of the season at 12:17.Tampa Bay, the highest scoring team in the NHL last season, has two goals in two games to start the season and is 0-for-8 on the power play, including 0 for 5 on Thursday.“We need to finish,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We’re not finishing. We are shooting some pucks at the net Bobby Orr Jersey , but we’re not going there with a desire to score. That’s what you have to do in this league.”Notes: Lightning C Tyler Johnson returned to the lineup after missing the opener with an upper-body injury and logged 18:24 of ice time. … Vancouver C Antoine Roussel missed his fourth consecutive game with a concussion. Coach Travis Green said following Thursday’s morning skate Roussel is getting close to return. … Tampa Bay scratched RW Cory Conacher, C Danick Martel and D Slater Koekkoek. The Canucks scratched D Michael Del Zotto, D Alex Biega and LW Brandon Leipsic. … The Canucks had allowed 14 goals in the opening three games of the season.UP NEXTCanucks: At Florida on Saturday night.Lightning: Host Columbus on Saturday night.