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Vancouver scored two first period powerplay goals to lay the foundations for a 3-1 home victory over the winless Toronto Maple Leafs.

The loss was the eighth consecutive for the Maple Leafs (0-7-1), who are off to their worst ever start and remain the only NHL team without a victory this season.

Vancouver netminder Roberto Luongo turned away 35 shots while Joey MacDonald had 22 saves for Toronto.

"This was obviously one of Roberto's best games, if not his best game of the year," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said.

"From start to finish he made key saves at the key time and he's the one that permitted us to win tonight."

Luongo successfully handled 13 shots in the first period, 12 in the second and 10 in the third.

"What has happened to us many times so far this year happened to the Leafs," Vigneault said. "Our goaltender just shut them down."

The victory was the fifth in seven games for the Canucks (5-5), who started the season with three consecutive losses.

Mason Raymond scored twice, getting the Canucks' first goal at 14 minutes 50 seconds and adding an empty netter with 7.9 seconds remaining.

Ryan Kesler scored Vancouver's other goal while Michael Grabner and Christian Ehrhoff assisted on both first period tallies.

"That whole line right now has carried us for the last two games... Kesler, Mason and Michael," Vigneault said. "They played real well at both ends of the rink. They are generating scoring chances, and I think Michael is finding his way."

Niklas Hagman registered Toronto's goal on a powerplay in the second period.

"Penalties have been our downfall and (it) seems to be going in the same direction this year," Toronto defenseman Ian White said.

Toronto was tagged with eight penalties, four in the first period, giving Vancouver seven powerplay opportunities.

NHL results on Saturday (home team in CAPS, OT=overtime, SO=shoot-out):

MONTREAL 5 NY Rangers 4 (OT)

Boston 4 OTTAWA 3 (SO)

Washington 3 NY ISLANDERS 2 (OT)

PHILADELPHIA 5 Florida 1

San Jose 4 ATLANTA 3

VANCOUVER 3 Toronto 1

New Jersey 4 PITTSBURGH 1

Buffalo 3 TAMPA BAY 2 (SO)

Dallas 4 ST. LOUIS 1

MINNESOTA 3 Carolina 2 (OT)

CHICAGO 2 Nashville 0

COLORADO 3 Detroit 1

Los Angeles 5 PHOENIX 3

CALGARY 5 Edmonton 2

Columbus 6 ANAHEIM 4

Reuters