ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- The Vancouver Canucks are trying to move on, putting the image of Donald Brashear's head striking the ice behind them and hoping that their teammate will return soon.

In their first game since Boston's Marty McSorley blindsided Brashear, the Canucks overcame an early two-goal deficit and skated to a 4-4 tie Wednesday night with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

"The league has made a ruling and I think it's important for everybody to stick together, not start pointing fingers at anybody, and do what's best for the game," said Vancouver captain Mark Messier, who scored a first-period goal for the Canucks.

McSorley, the Bruins enforcer, bashed Brashear in the head with his stick Monday night in Vancouver and was suspended Wednesday for the rest of the season. In the harshest punishment ever handed down by the NHL, McSorley will miss 23 regular-season games and also will be banned from the playoffs should the Bruins make it.

Brashear, who fell and hit the back of his head on the ice after the blow to his temple, sustained a concussion that will sideline him for several weeks and possibly the rest of the season.

A subdued Messier, McSorley's teammate with the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers, measured his words carefully, saying: "It's a sad day for hockey. Everybody would like to be able to turn the clock back and have a chance to do it over again. But, unfortunately, we can't do that.

"I'm sure he (McSorley) is very disappointed. Marty is like a brother to me and it was tough to watch. I know how much he loves the game, but he's going to have to live with the consequences. He knows that."

Vancouver coach Marc Crawford said, "We're thankful that the league came up with a decision quickly because that kind of helps put some closure on things."

He added, however, "They've also given themselves some leeway now to revisit the issue should it need to be readdressed at the start of next season."

The game against Anaheim was a seesaw affair, with all the scoring in the first two periods. Anaheim's Ladislav Kohn scored the final goal with 4:17 remaining in the second period.

"There was certainly lots of tempo in the game," Anaheim coach Craig Hartsburg said. "It was pretty hard-fought by two teams that are pretty desperate.

"These are two teams that are in cellar spots right now. They know the importance of every point."

Teemu Selanne had a goal and two assists for Anaheim, and Kohn pulled the Mighty Ducks even with his fourth goal, scoring from the crease after his first shot was blocked by the defense.

Matt Cooke put Vancouver up 4-3 midway through the second period, picking up the loose puck just outside the crease and beating goalie Dominic Roussel to the stick side for his fourth goal.

Steve Rucchin's 14th goal, on a power play at 3:04 of the second, had drawn Anaheim even after Markus Naslund had given the Canucks a 3-2 lead with his 19th goal.

Anaheim jumped out to a 2-0 lead on power play-goals by Oleg Tverdovsky, his 10th, and Selanne, his 25th. The Canucks answered with two goals before the first period ended.

Messier scored his 12th on a power play at the 11:34 mark, and Darby Hendrickson evened it at 2 with his fourth goal with 5:02 left in the period.

While the Canucks were without their enforcer, Brashear, against Anaheim, the Mighty Ducks were missing leading scorer Paul Kariya, out for the second consecutive game with a bruised right ankle.