Jeff Cowan made his second career post-season goal a memorable one for the Vancouver Canucks.

Cowan's marker at 7:49 of double overtime on Friday lifted the visiting Vancouver Canucks to a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, and tied their NHL Western Conference semifinal at a game each.

Vancouver defenceman Brent Sopel, right, skates past Ducks centre Ryan Getzlaf during Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
(Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Veteran Trevor Linden sent a drop pass at the side of the Anaheim net to Cowan, who slipped a bad angle shot between the right pad of Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere and the post.

The Canucks' win in the best-of-seven series means they take home-ice advantage from Anaheim.

The series shifts to Vancouver for Games 3 and 4 beginning Sunday night (CBC, 8 p.m. ET).

Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo was brilliant with 43 saves, while Giguere stopped 47 shots.

Vancouver rebounded from a poor performance in Game 1 on Wednesday night following a 5-1 drubbing.

1st period ends scoreless

The Canucks took a 1-0 lead at 6:30 of the second period after an Anaheim turnover in the neutral zone.

Vancouver winger Markus Naslund stripped the puck from Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger, raced down the wing and snapped a shot to the wide side of Giguere.

The goal was only the second of the playoffs for Naslund, who was criticized by coach Alain Vigneault during the opening round of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars for his lack of offensive production.

On Friday, Naslund turned the puck over in the neutral zone less than six minutes after his goal, leading to Anaheim's only tally.

Luongo made a great arm save off winger Teemu Selanne on the breakaway, but Travis Moen converted the rebound after alertly trailing the play.

No pop on power play

Both teams struggled with the power play.

Anaheim went 0-7, including a critical failed attempt during the first overtime period.

The Canucks, who have been inept in the first two rounds with the man advantage, are a combined 0-12 in the two games against the Ducks.

The Canucks briefly lost the services of Willie Mitchell on Friday after the defenceman was given a hip check by Anaheim's Francois Beauchemin in the first period.

Mitchell, a shot-blocking machine for the Canucks in the post-season, went to the dressing room favouring his knee, but returned for the start of the second.

Vancouver was already feeling the loss of injured blue-liners Sami Salo and Kevin Bieksa. Salo reportedly has a torso injury and Bieksa has been slowed by a mysterious fatigue-related illness.

Meanwhile, Selanne was accidentally hit by teammate Pronger's stick in Friday's third period. Selanne suffered a cut under his right eye and left for the Ducks' training room minutes later to have the bleeding stopped before returning.

Anaheim left-winger Brad May also was out, serving the final game of a three-game suspension for punching Minnesota Wild defenceman Kim Johnsson in the back of the head during the Western Conference quarter-final.