Johnson's rare goal sinks Sharks

Ryan Johnson could not have picked a better time to score.
The Vancouver Canucks checking specialist netted his first goal in 82 games Thursday night. It also happened to be the winner as the Canucks edged the Sharks 3-2 at General Motors Place.
“I’ve wanted to bury one,” said Johnson. “But like I’ve always said, I’d rather have a big one, and it was.”
Johnson's second-period marker, which gave the Canucks an insurmountable 3-1 lead, was his first goal since January of 2009 against Nashville. It helped the Canucks redeem themselves after an embarrassing 5-2 loss to the lowly New York Islanders on Tuesday.
“After a disappointing effort against the Islanders, we knew that this was a big game for us to get back to the basics,” said Johnson. “We did a lot of things not very well in that game, and I thought tonight we got back to the identity of the team we are, that goes on the attack and makes a lot of teams play in their own zone for critical time.”
Johnson also re-established his identity as a role player who could score timely goals, which he was not able to do while suffering from two fractured feet that have limited him to 49 games this season.“By no means am I ever going to judge myself as a stats guy who looks at all the numbers,” said Johnson. “I know the little things that I do well throughout a game and the value that I bring to the team. At the same time, I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t want to chip in, because I know I’m very capable of it and have the ability to do it.”
He was feeling refreshed after the Olympic break allowed him to recover more fully. He has played hurt most of the season.
“Physically, I needed to get my feet back,” said Johnson. “In hindsight, playing through what I was playing through was really stupid, and I certainly learned something from that side of things. It hurt myself. It was hurting my line. It was not hurting the team in that sense, but I was not myself and what they needed me to be.”
He was also his usual checking self as he kept San Jose's top line of Canadian Olympians Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley off the scoresheet. The Thunder Bay, Ont., native hopes his fourth line can produce another timely goal when the Canucks enter the playoffs.
“We have the ability to do it,” said Johnson. “We’re going to have to do it.”