Canucks take down Stars as power play finally gets going
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — J.T. Miller had two power-play goals and the Vancouver Canucks scored four times in the second period to beat the Dallas Stars 6-3 Sunday night.
Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson each had a goal and two assists, Brock Boeser added a goal and an assist, and Vasily Podkolzin also scored to help the Canucks win for the second time in six games. Quinn Hughes had three assists and Thatcher Demko stopped 25 shots.
The Canucks were 3 for 6 on the power play after going 3 for 28 in their previous seven games.
Joe Pavelski, Ryan Suter and Luke Glendening scored for the Stars, and Jason Robertson had two assists. Anton Khudobin made 30 saves.
The Canucks trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes before Miller tied it at 2:19 of the second period on a shot from the high slot with Boeser screening Khudobin. It was Vancouver’s first power-play goal in 18 attempts stretching over five games.
Pettersson put the Canucks ahead on a power play at 6:37 with a shot through a crowd from above the faceoff circle. It was his second of the season and first in 10 games.
Horvat made it 3-1 at 8:10, punching home the rebound of a shot by Tanner Pearson.
Glendening cut the lead to 3-2 when he took advantage of a defensive breakdown by the Canucks at 9:38.
The Canucks had a chance to extend their lead with a two-man advantage for 1:11 but couldn’t beat Khudobin.
Horvat intercepted a pass in the Canucks zone to help set up Podkolzin’s goal with 4:15 remaining in the middle period to make it 4-2.
Suter drew the Stars within one at 3:23 of the third on the power play.
Miller picked up his second of the night on a power play with 6:16 left to push the lead to 5-3, and Boeser had an empty-netter with 2:21 to go to seal the win.
Pavelski gave the Stars a 1-0 lead with 6:25 remaining in the first period — 26 seconds after Hughes was called for cross-checking. Robertson sent a pass across the front of the net that Pavelski at first had trouble controlling but then found the handle and tucked into the corner for his third of the season.
It was the 10th time in 12 games this season Vancouver surrendered the opening goal.
Just a few minutes earlier Demko had robbed Jamie Benn. Alexander Radulov put the puck on Benn’s stick and he looked to have a wide-open net, but a diving Demko managed to get his stick on the shot.
NOTES: Vancouver D Luke Schenn was scratched for an undisclosed injury. ... The Canucks wore their pink Hockey Fights Cancer jerseys during warmups. ... Vancouver C Justin Dowling returned to the lineup and made his home debut against his former team after missing five games with an injury. ... The Stars last lost in Vancouver on March 30, 2012.
UP NEXT
Stars: Host Nashville on Wednesday night to open a three-game homestand.
Canucks: Anaheim on Tuesday night to wrap up a seven-game homestand.
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