The Dallas Stars went into Vancouver to play against a surprise Canucks team that was sporting a four-game winning streak, and looking to maintain a point streak of their own. Dallas had collected a bushel of points in their last seven trips to Rain City with a 6-0-1 record.
Both goaltenders had an outstanding night, and it would take overtime to settle the contest. Ben Bishop finished with 39 saves on 40 shots.
Alexander Radulov committed a hooking minor within the first 30 seconds of the game. Mattias Janmark and Tyler Pitlick created a scoring chance on the PK, and Vancouver couldn’t do anything with their early power play opportunity.
The Stars’ NHL leading power play unit had an opportunity in the middle of the first period and had the Canucks’ defense out of position, but Vancouver netminder Jacob Markstrom held his ground. Dallas wasn’t exactly clean or disciplined in their defensive zone at the outset. They had trouble breaking out, and it led to several Canucks deflections and slot shots in front of the net which tested Bishop early.
Three power play opportunities helped Vancouver pile up the shot totals in the first, but Dallas’ reconfigured penalty kill unit held serve, and even managed to draw a penalty of their own via Gemel Smith breaking away in the closing seconds. The period ended with Vancouver outshooting Dallas 16-9.
Bishop was sterling again at the beginning of the second period, this time on a short-handed breakaway from top line center Bo Horvat. The Stars earned a third power play immediately after their second, and Tyler Seguin dusted off his blistering one-timer. Radulov found Seguin with a saucer pass on the left circle.
During a chip-and-chase middle frame from both teams, the Stars needed every bit of Bishop, and he stayed perfect after 27 shots on goal. Jamie Oleksiak, who remains in the lineup over Julius Honka, committed a tough turnover behind his net which led to a point blank shot from the slot. Former long-time Canuck Dan Hamhuis threw his body on the ice to take away a passing lane on a 3-on-2. Markstrom was strong for Vancouver as well to keep the Stars from pulling away.
The Canucks finally found their breakthrough on when Marc Methot committed a tricky-tack interference penalty in the third period. Antoine Roussel attempted a breakaway, and Markstrom went way out of his net to push the puck away which created a rush for Vancouver. Sam Gagner crashed the net and put in a rebound to put his team on the board. The Stars had posted seven straight games without allowing a power play goal.
The majority of the final frame was spent in the Stars’ defensive zone, and Bishop continued to bail them out as Vancouver had nearly doubled up Dallas in shot attempts. Radulov earned another power play when he was intentionally tripped by Markstrom to prevent a wrap-around attempt that almost surely would have gone in. On the penalty kill, Vancouver denied Dallas zone entries and won board battles to keep the Stars from clicking.
Throughout the game, the Stars weren’t able to win any critical offensive zone face-offs. Additionally, they failed to get any secondary scoring that they’ve been searching for of late.
Horvat hit the post after Janmark fell down in overtime. The teams went back and forth on a series of attacks and counter-attacks. Radulov delivered the game-winner after he patiently waited for Markstrom to react and found the back of the net on a wrist shot.
The Goals
Second Period
3:11 The Stars struck first on a power play goal from Tyler Seguin. John Klingberg dumped the puck into the zone, Radulov found it on the forecheck, and fed Seguin on the left circle for a one-timer. Stars 1, Canucks 0
Radulov to Seguin and Seguin puts it up high in the corner and rings it off the post. 1-0 Stars. pic.twitter.com/DmEEjad4jZ
— Dylan Nadwodny (@dnadders) October 31, 2017
Third Period
6:00 Sam Gagner scored his first goal as a Canuck on a power play. A shot from the slot by Thomas Vanek created the rebound chance for Gagner. Stars 1, Canucks 1
Sam Gagner scores on the power play off of a rebound on the rush and it's a tie game. 1-1. pic.twitter.com/zaM2TbFFDc
— Dylan Nadwodny (@dnadders) October 31, 2017
Overtime
2:59 Radulov skated the puck out from behind his net and kept it all the way to beat Markstrom with a wrist shot. Stars 2, Canucks 1
It's a one-man show in overtime as @RADUL22 puts it far side on Markstrom and gives the Stars the OT win, 2-1. pic.twitter.com/FoZqNL9Gsv
— Dylan Nadwodny (@dnadders) October 31, 2017
Canucks lineup
Sven Baertschi — Bo Horvat — Sam Gagner
Daniel Sedin — Henrik Sedin — Jake Virtanen
Thomas Vanek — Alexander Burmistrov — Jayson Megna
Markus Granlund — Brandon Sutter — Derek Dorsett
Ben Hutton — Christopher Tanev
Michael Del Zotto — Erik Gudbranson
Derek Pouliot — Alex Biega
Jacob Markstrom
Anders Nilsson
Scratched: Patrick Wiercioch, Anton Rodin
Injured: Brock Boeser (foot), Alexander Edler (knee), Louis Eriksson (knee), Troy Stecher (knee)
Stars lineup
Jamie Benn — Tyler Seguin — Alexander Radulov
Antione Roussel — Jason Spezza — Brett Ritchie
Mattias Janmark — Devin Shore — Remi Elie
Gemel Smith — Radek Faksa — Tyler Pitlick
Marc Methot — John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis — Greg Pateryn
Jamie Oleksiak — Esa Lindell
Ben Bishop
Kari Lehtonen
Scratched: Julius Honka
Injured: Stephen Johns (concussion symptoms), Martin Hanzal (lower-body)
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