The big smile on Brendan Gaunce鈥檚 face spoke volumes.

Gaunce scored two goals in a game for the first time in his NHL career as the Vancouver Canucks overcome an early deficit to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 Thursday night.

His first goal in the second period tied the game 1-1. He scored his second with just 2:58 left in the third period. It came as the Blackhawks were pressing after cutting the Canuck lead to 3-2.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great to score goals,鈥� said Gaunce. 鈥淵ou gain confidence offensively.鈥�

Gaunce has played 109 games over parts of three seasons for Vancouver, collecting five goals and six assists. The 23-year-old from Sudbury, Ont., once went 95 games without a goal. His previous two goals this season came on the road, so his last goal Thursday earned a huge cheer from the announced crowd of 18,144 at Rogers Arena.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 really hear,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was pretty zoned out after I scored. It鈥檚 good to contribute.鈥�

During the dying moments of the third Gaunce sent a puck wide of an empty Chicago net.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had many chances at a hat trick,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going for it.鈥�

On his first goal, Gaunce used teammate Bo Horvat as a decoy before scoring on a wrist shot.

Horvat, who has a history of being a better sniper, had no problems with the move.

鈥淗e made the right decision and made a heck of a shot,鈥� said Horvat, who has 12 goals in 33 games this year.

鈥淲e are so happy for him. He鈥檚 worked his butt off to get to this point. He deserved to get those two goals tonight. He鈥檚 been playing great hockey. He鈥檚 getting his opportunities. To see him finally get rewarded is awesome.鈥�

Daniel Sedin and Horvat also scored for the Canucks (21-24-6). Defenceman Troy Stecher added two assists for Vancouver, which has won five of its last eight games after going 2-11-3 in its previous 15.

Vancouver also won back-to-back games on home ice for just the second time this season.

. be like 馃槂馃槂 after 馃毃馃毃 .

鈥� Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)

The Canucks, who are tied with Edmonton for second last in the Western Conference, are .500 on the road (11-11-3) but have a losing record (10-13-3) at home.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not good enough,鈥� said Sedin, who scored his 13th goal of the season. 鈥淥n the road we have been OK. At home, that鈥檚 where you should get your wins. It hasn鈥檛 been that way.鈥�

Gaunce said the Canucks haven鈥檛 given up on the season.

鈥淎s cliched as it is, it is our job,鈥� he said. 鈥淕uys have a lot to play for still, regardless of where we are in the standings.

鈥淚f we make a run, you never know. There are always things to play for.鈥�

Nick Schmaltz and Alex DeBrincat scored for Chicago (24-20-7), which saw a two-game win streak snapped. Defenceman Duncan Keith had two assists.

Chicago has not won three consecutive games since a five-game winning streak Dec. 8-17.

The Blackhawks led 1-0 after the first period on Schmaltz鈥檚 goal. The Canucks then scored three unanswered to lead 3-1 midway through the third.

鈥淎 few breakdowns in the second period cost us the game,鈥� said DeBrincat.

Jonathan Toews said the Blackhawks gave up too many good chances.

鈥淲e need to be better defensively,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen pucks are around our net we have to make sure we are a little bit tougher and we鈥檙e not giving them easy chances around our net.鈥�

Canuck goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots. Chicago鈥檚 Anton Forsberg, who was making his third straight start, stopped 17 shots.

NOTES:

• Defenceman Erik Gudbranson returned to the Canuck lineup after missing five games with back spasms.
• Blackhawk left winger Patrick Sharp was a healthy scratch for the third straight game.
• Vancouver鈥檚 Sam Gagner didn鈥檛 return for the second period after suffering an upper-body injury when hitting Chicago鈥檚 Tomas Jurco in the opening period.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press

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