"One more for the road.

Fourteen games, 42 days and nearly 20,000 kilometres since they last played at home on Jan. 27, the Vancouver Canucks went an extra five minutes of overtime plus a shootout Wednesday to gain a point. Or prove one.

When their energy tank should have been empty and their hunger diminished by eight wins already in the bank, the Canucks mustered one last impressive road gig, losing 4-3 to a very good Phoenix Coyote team in a six-round shootout.

For the first time in six weeks, the Canucks are homeward bound after going 8-5-1 on their epic two-part odyssey to nearly half of the National Hockey League's 30 markets.

"I think it's a five game homestand," winger Alex Burrows said of the schedule now. "I'm not even sure. That tells you how long it has been. It's going to be nice to go home, for sure. It's been a while. We'll take this point and make sure we get some rest and got home and get on a winning streak."

The Canucks play the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Do not disturb them today. They'll be sleeping.

They may even be dreaming what they might accomplish in the Stanley Cup playoffs next month after going 8-5-1 under difficult circumstances."