The Chicago Blackhawks forward capped a hat trick performance, scoring 1:44 into overtime to give his team a 4-3 victory over Vancouver before 12,598 at the United Center on Friday night.
Down 3-1, the Canucks fought back to even matters on Trevor Linden's goal 2:30 into the third period.
On the winning marker, Arnason beat goalie Alexander Auld from the edge of the crease after taking Bryan Berard's centring pass from the corner. It was his first three-goal game this season and second of his career. The three-goal effort also was the first for the Blackhawks this season.
Mattias Ohlund, left, brings the puck down ice as Michael Barinka reaches for it. (AP Photo/Stephen J. Carrera)
"I was just looking to get a bounce from a bad angle," Berard said. "I didn't know I had anyone with me. The one thing I've learned this year is that when you put the puck on net, good things happen and Arnie made a great play."
The loss extended the Canucks' unbeaten streak to four games. They remain fourth in the Western Conference with 89 points, two points in front of the Dallas Stars. The one point did move Vancouver to within four points of Northwest Division-leading Colorado.
Jim Vandermeer rounded out the scoring for Chicago, which halted a two-game losing streak. The 20-38-9-6 Blackhawks, who won for the second time in 11 games (2-6-2-1), have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Vancouver (37-24-10-4) also got goals from Brendan Morrison and Matt Cooke and saw its five-game win streak against the Hawks snapped.
"You have to play 60 minutes in this league to be successful, whether it's the Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings or Chicago Blackhawks," Cooke said. "We know that, but didn't do that."
The Canucks are 1-3-2 since forward Todd Bertuzzi was suspended for attacking Colorado's Steve Moore. Their power play, dangerous when Bertuzzi was around, was 2-for-4 against Chicago and is 3-for-32 in the last eight games.
Canucks captain Markus Naslund picked up an assist but has just two goals in his last 18 games.
Blackhawks goalie Michael Leighton stopped 32 shots.
Johan Hedberg started in goal for Vancouver, but was pulled at 6:53 of the second after allowing three goals on 14 shots. Auld made 19 saves in relief.
"It was good we recaptured the momentum by having the other goalie come in and play well," Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. "It's hard to explain, but goalie changes do sometimes shift momentum. Alex played well."
Morrison's power-play goal with 2:57 left in the first period made it 1-0. He scored from the left side of the crease after Brent Sopel's drive from the top of the slot sailed wide, bounced off the back boards and directly to him.
Arnason's first goal, on the power play at 1:37 of the second, tied it. Hedberg tried to clear the puck from behind the net, but it struck Chicago's Eric Daze and deflected to Arnason in front of the goal.
Arnason struck again just under three minutes later to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead. Hedberg blocked Arnason's point-blank deflection of Tuomo Ruutu's centring pass. However, the puck squirted away from Hedberg, and Arnason tapped it in.
Vandermeer made it 3-1 during a power play at 6:53 of the second on a screened drive from the top of the slot. After the goal, Crawford pulled Hedberg. Auld was recalled earlier Friday from Manitoba of the American Hockey League to replace injured Dan Cloutier.
Cooke cut it to 3-2 with a power-play goal with 6:18 left in the second. He scored from the edge of the crease after taking a perfect pass from Daniel Sedin in the corner.
The Canucks open a four-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
with files from CP Online
