Canucks Whip the Stars 6-2 to Move Closer to Playoff Spot

Vancouver Canucks 6, Dallas Stars 2

No Bo Horvat or Tanner Pearson, while Brock Boeser and Matthew Highmore returned to the Canucks line-up.

Alex Chiasson felt ill during warm-up and was replaced as a late scratch by Nic Petan.

Vancouver had the forecheck working in the first period. Five-on-five they dramatically limited Dallas chances. The power play opportunity for the Stars threw off the cadence. As the period wore on the Canucks got it back.

Goaltenders:

Jake Oettinger vs. Thatcher Demko. Demko won both meetings between the teams this season, 6-3 on November 7th at Rogers Arena and 4-1 in Dallas on March 26th.

Oettinger got yanked after the 4th Canucks goal and Scott Wedgewood took over.

Goal Scorers

1st Period 1-0 Vancouver – Conor Garland (17) – Vasily Podkolzin, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (7:28) Even Strength

((– From almost the left wing boards, Garland delivered a one-time after a quick give-n-go with Podkolzin near the slot.))

1st Period 1-1 Dallas – Roope Hintz (33) – Alex Radulov, Joe Pavelski (8:12) Power Play

((– A little touch pass in front left Hintz alone in prime scoring position and he went top shelf.))

1st Period 2-1 Vancouver Elias Pettersson (28) – Sheldon Dries (15:09) Even Strength

((– Good work behind the net by Dries who reversed it to the post where Pettersson had fallen down and gotten back up to score.))

2nd Period 3-1 Vancouver Brock Boeser (20) – Elias Pettersson, Jason Dickinson (1:23) Even Strength

((– Perfect execution of a 2-on-1 as Boeser finishes after a nice touch pass to spring it from Dickinson in the neutral zone.))

2nd Period 3-2 Dallas Roope Hintz (34) – Radek Faksa, Jani Hakanpaa (4:45) Shorthanded

((– Hintz in alone on a breakaway with a nice move to open up Demko and score five-hole.))

2nd Period 4-2 Vancouver Jason Dickinson (5) – Brock Boeser, Brad Hunt (10:33) Even Strength

((– Beautiful redirection in the LW circle of a slap-pass from Boeser.))

3rd Period 5-2 Vancouver Vasily Podkolzin (14) – Quinn Hughes, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (:49) Even Strength

((– Soft goal from Wedgewood short side as ‘Pods’ rips one at the net from low LW circle.))

3rd Period 6-2 Vancouver Elias Pettersson (29) – Brock Boeser, Jason Dickinson (16:59) Empty-netter, Even Strength

((– ‘Petey’ whips it in from the left wing boards after two teammates had missed.))

Scoreboard Watching

There was one other NHL game of immediate interest to the Vancouver Canucks and it involved the team just ahead of them in the standings, the Vegas Golden Knights. Final score: New Jersey Devils 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2.

With the win, the Canucks move to within a point of Vegas, the closest team outside the wild card spots.

Special Teams

Given that this will be played like a playoff game, I would expect good discipline from both teams.

Brock Boeser returned to the line-up and took the game’s first penalty, for cross-checking, and the Stars quickly converted to tie the game at 1-1.

The Canucks received their first power play chance at 3:43 of the second period when Tyler Seguin went off for holding Pettersson. It didn’t go well as Hintz scored shorthanded.

There were no infractions called in the 3rd period until a meaningless holding call on Alex Radulov of Dallas at 18:56.

Simmer’s Vancouver Canucks 3 Stars:

3) Elias Pettersson – Picked up where he left off last game. All around it, scored two goals and converted a 2-on-1 helper.

2) Jason Dickinson – Inspired against his former team, potted a beautiful tip goal and added two assists.

1) Brock Boeser – Overcame the early penalty, beared down and tallied a goal, two assist, and solid play.