Brenden Morrow scored the game-winning goal
early in the third period, as the Dallas Stars edged the Vancouver Canucks,
2-1, at American Airlines Center.
Brad Richards scored the other goal for the Stars, who snapped a three-game
skid. Marty Turco turned aside 32-of-33 shots for Dallas, which was without
leading goal scorer James Neal (groin).
Mason Raymond had the lone score for the Canucks, who had a three-game winning
streak snapped. Cory Schneider stopped 45-of-47 shots in his first start of
the season. Schneider, the reigning AHL goaltender of the year, was recalled
last week when it was learned starter Roberto Luongo would be out for some
time with a hairline fracture of a rib. Veteran Andrew Raycroft, who has been
starting in place of Luongo, was given the game off.
Down 2-0, Vancouver cut its deficit in half with 11:46 remaining in the third.
Kevin Bieksa fired a shot on net from along the right boards at the bottom of
the circle. Bieksa's shot went off the pads of Turco, which allowed a charging
Raymond to chip the disc into the back of the net.
The Canucks failed to score on a 5-on-3 power play that lasted 18 seconds.
They also couldn't capitalize with the extra attacker during the last 1:18 of
the contest.
The goaltenders put on a show during a scoreless first period. Schneider
stopped 22 shots and Turco made 10 saves.
Dallas broke a scoreless tie at the 8:05 mark of the second. Loui Eriksson
gathered the puck along the right boards after the Canucks failed to clear
their own zone. Eriksson slid a pass in front to Richards, whose wrister found
the upper left-hand corner of the net.
The Stars went ahead 2-0 on Morrow's power-play score at the 3:50 mark of the
third. Mike Ribeiro was positioned at the right circle and slid a pass in
front to Jamie Benn, who slightly fanned on a pass to Morrow. But the puck
made its way to Morrow, who chipped the disc into an open half of the net.
Game Notes
The Stars dropped a 4-3 shootout test in Vancouver on October 11. Dallas has
won nine of the last 11 meetings played in Big D in this series...Canucks
defenseman Shane O'Brien returned from a one-game suspension...Dallas plays at
Minnesota on Saturday, while Vancouver travels to St. Louis on Tuesday.
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