the regular season with the Canucks as a bottom-six forward, by the playoffs, he was playing on the second line centered by Ryan Kesler. Entering the post-season as the Presidents' Trophy champions, the Canucks held the first seed in the West. After eliminating the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks in the first three rounds, the Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. Facing the Boston Bruins, the series went to a seventh game, which the Canucks lost 4–0. Following the Canucks' defeat, it was revealed that several Canucks players had been playing with injuries, including Higgins. His injury occurred in the second round against the Predators, when he blocked a shot with his skate, breaking his foot. Over 25 playoff games, Higgins recorded four goals and eight points. Three of his goals were game-winners, tying him with Geoff Courtnall (1994) for the most in a single playoff season by a Canucks player. During the off-season, Higgins re-signed with Vancouver to a two-year, $3.8 million contract on July 1, 2011. The deal was agreed upon prior to his scheduled unrestricted free agency. During the season, Higgins struggled with two bouts of Staph infection, one in December 2011 and the other in February 2012. He missed a combined 11 games as a result of swelling and suffering from severe side effects to the associated medication. Though he missed time, Higgins also played through the adverse reactions for several games following both bouts with the infection. Through the first half of the season, he often played on the second line with Kesler and David Booth; the trio were dubbed the "American Express Line," as they were all born in the United States. Towards the end of the season, he was consistently placed on the team's third line, a defensive shutdown unit with fellow two-way forwards Jannik Hansen and deadline-acquisition Samuel Påhlsson. Used in both roles over the campaign, Higgins was often recognized as the team's most consistent and hardest-working forward. On the last day of the regular season, he was accordingly awarded the Fred J. Hume Award, voted by fans as the team's "unsung hero." Appearing in 71 games, Higgins recorded 43 points (18 goals and 25 assists), his highest total in four years and fifth among team forwards. On April 2, 2013, Higgins signed a four-year, $10 million extension with the Canucks. During the 2015–16 season, on January 12,