The Canucks fall 4-3 in overtime to the Stars.
The Vancouver Canucks (22-9-3) finished up their four-game road trip with an overtime loss to the Dallas Stars (19-8-4). Despite the loss, Vancouver did extend its point streak to eight games and now sits atop the NHL's standings. The Canucks also picked up their 22nd road point of the season, which ties them with the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the league.
Once again, Vancouver struggled in the first period and had to rely heavily on Thatcher Demko to keep them in the game. He came up big on the penalty kill, stopping all five shots he faced and was able to hold the Stars to just one goal on 16 total shots through the first 20 minutes. While Vancouver scored the game's first goal, their slow start tonight was concerning as they have become a common theme over the last few weeks.
Outside of Demkow, the third line of Conor Garland, Teddy Blueger, and Dakota Joshua was the biggest positive tonight. They were the Canucks best line by far, finishing the night with two goals and six points combined. Arguably the best third line in the NHL, they are now being rewarded on the scoresheet for all their hard work over the past few weeks.
Here is Garland post-game talking about his line:
"We just work hard. We play a system that rewards hard work. We try to listen to Tocc (Rick Tocchet) as best we can before games and follow the team's game plan to a tee, and it pays off."
Overall, this road trip was a massive success for Vancouver. They picked up six of a possible eight points and seem to have sorted out their penalty kill issues. The Canucks are proving to be a wagon heading into 2024 as they look to capture their first-ever Pacific Division title.
Stats and Facts
- Teddy Blueger extends his point streak to a career-high five games
- The Canucks go perfect on the penalty kill for the fifth time in their last six games
- Vancouver is held to 20 shots or fewer for the fifth time this season
- The Canucks record moves to 3-6-2 when Quinn Hughes plays over 26 minutes
Scoring Summary
1st Period
VAN: 2:52- Dakota Joshua (8th) from Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger
DAL: 10:51- Tyler Seguin (10th) from Matt Duchene and Miro Heiskanen
2nd Period
DAL: 7:51- Roope Hintz (11th) from Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski
VAN: 12:26- Brock Boeser (24th) from J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes
3rd Period
VAN: 15:04- Conor Garland (3rd) from Dakota Joshua and Teddy Blueger
DAL: 16:30- Thomas Harley (9th) from Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen
Overtime
DAL: 4:50- Matt Duchene (11th) from Thomas Harley and Wyatt Johnston
Canucks Next Opponent
The Canucks will return home for a game against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night before heading off on the holiday break. These two Pacific Division foes have faced off twice this season, with Vancouver holding a 2-1 advantage. Game time is set for 7:00 pm PT from Rogers Arena.
