Former University of Maine winger Jay Mazur was cherishing his first National Hockey League goal on Wednesday afternoon along with wife Kerrie (Higgins) and 4 1/2-month old daughter Alexa.

Mazur’s first goal, coming in his ninth career NHL game, just so happened to be a game-winner that snapped the Vancouver Canucks’ stretch of 14 games without a win in Calgary, an 0-12-2 stretch that dated back to Feb. 3, 1987. Vancouver won 3-2.

“It was certainly a surprise and a good feeling for me,” said Mazur. “The fact it turned out to be a game-winner made it nicer. I didn’t know about the streak.”

The fact Mazur was even in the Canucks lineup is a credit to the 6-foot-1, 195-pound right winger’s determination and development.

Prior to this season, he had played in over 216 games between the International Hockey League and the American Hockey League and this was going to be his option year.

“Coming into camp, I was a new father and I had a little more responsibility,” said the 25-year-old Mazur. “I knew I had to make sure that I took care of my family. It was a do-or-die situation for me. I had to make sure I really did my best.”

Mazur had been told by his coach in Milwaukee last year, Ron Lapointe, that he could improve himself by losing weight. So he did during the summer.

“By dropping 10 pounds down to 195, I seemed to be a little faster and it helped me out quite a bit,” said Mazur. “I also seemed to be more controlled with the puck in training camp. When I used to get the puck, I’d try to get rid of it right away. Instead of making a play, I let everybody else make the plays. But I controlled the puck more and was a little more heads-up and patient.”

Based on his solid play during training camp, Mazur made the Canucks roster and signed a new contract (one year plus an option year). However, in just his second game, he tore some cartilage in his sternum and was sidelined for more than 20 games. He was given a two-week rehabilitation assignment in Milwaukee, netting 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 games, and Tuesday night’s game was his first after being recalled by Vancouver.

Mazur was the right wing on a line with center Igor Larionov and left wing Greg Adams.

“Our line did pretty well,” said Mazur. “We had a pretty good game offensively and we all played well defensively. We stuck to the game plan. It all worked out.”

Mazur said he feels “more comfortable” in the NHL now.

“I don’t panic or get nervous when I’m playing now,” said Mazur. “But you have to make sure you’re on your toes all the time. It’s a different game in the minors. You can do what you want and get away with it. In the NHL, the game is faster and more controlled. If you make a mistake, it’s usually costly.”

Mazur, who had 84 goals and 75 assists in 216 games in the AHL and IHL (with Flint, Milwaukee and Fredericton, New Brunswick), is not taking anything for granted. He said the time he spent in the minors helped make his first NHL goal that much more rewarding.

“All the work you do in the minors is worth it,” said Mazur. “I never gave up. There was always that hope. It’s a great feeling.”

Mazur is on cloud nine right now, but he is also a realist. There are 28 players in Vancouver and there’s no guarantee that he will be in the lineup every day. But he knows exactly what he has to do to stay in Vancouver.

“With my speed and size, I’ve got to make sure I bump people when the opportunity arises,” said Mazur. “It’s not always going to be a big hit but I’ve got to make sure I rub them off and contain my side of the ice. And I’ve got to go to the net whenever I can.”

Former University of Maine winger Jay Mazur was cherishing his first National Hockey League goal on Wednesday afternoon along with wife Kerrie (Higgins) and 4 1/2-month old daughter Alexa.

Mazur’s first goal, coming in his ninth career NHL game, just so happened to be a game-winner that snapped the Vancouver Canucks’ stretch of 14 games without a win in Calgary, an 0-12-2 stretch that dated back to Feb. 3, 1987. Vancouver won 3-2.

“It was certainly a surprise and a good feeling for me,” said Mazur. “The fact it turned out to be a game-winner made it nicer. I didn’t know about the streak.”

The fact Mazur was even in the Canucks lineup is a credit to the 6-foot-1, 195-pound right winger’s determination and development.

Prior to this season, he had played in over 216 games between the International Hockey League and the American Hockey League and this was going to be his option year.

“Coming into camp, I was a new father and I had a little more responsibility,” said the 25-year-old Mazur. “I knew I had to make sure that I took care of my family. It was a do-or-die situation for me. I had to make sure I really did my best.”

Mazur had been told by his coach in Milwaukee last year, Ron Lapointe, that he could improve himself by losing weight. So he did during the summer..

“By dropping 10 pounds down to 195, I seemed to be a little faster and it helped me out quite a bit,” said Mazur. “I also seemed to be more controlled with the puck in training camp. When I used to get the puck, I’d try to get rid of it right away. Instead of making a play, I let everybody else make the plays. But I controlled the puck more and was a little more heads-up and patient.”

Based on his solid play during training camp, Mazur made the Canucks roster and signed a new contract (one year plus an option year). However, in just his second game, he tore some cartilage in his sternum and was sidelined for more than 20 games. He was given a two-week rehabilitation assignment in Milwaukee, netting 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 games, and Tuesday night’s game was his first after being recalled by Vancouver.

Mazur was the right wing on a line with center Igor Larionov and left wing Greg Adams.

“Our line did pretty well,” said Mazur. “We had a pretty good game offensively and we all played well defensively. We stuck to the game plan. It all worked out.”

Mazur said he feels “more comfortable” in the NHL now.

“I don’t panic or get nervous when I’m playing now,” said Mazur. “But you have to make sure you’re on your toes all the time. It’s a different game in the minors. You can do what you want and get away with it. In the NHL, the game is faster and more controlled. If you make a mistake, it’s usually costly.”

Mazur, who had 84 goals and 75 assists in 216 games in the AHL and IHL (with Flint, Milwaukee and Fredericton, New Brunswick), is not taking anything for granted. He said the time he spent in the minors helped make his first NHL goal that much more rewarding.

“All the work you do in the minors is worth it,” said Mazur. “I never gave up. There was always that hope. It’s a great feeling.”

Mazur is on cloud nine right now but he is also a realist. There are 28 players in Vancouver and there’s no guarantee that he will be in the lineup every day. But he knows exactly what he has to do to stay in Vancouver.

“With my speed and size, I’ve got to make sure I bump people when the opportunity arises,” said Mazur. “It’s not always going to be a big hit but I’ve got to make sure I rub them off and contain my side of the ice. And I’ve got to go to the net whenever I can.”