Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler (17) makes a pass as Dallas Stars' Brenden Dillon, center, and Cody Eakin (20) help defend the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
December 19, 2013 - 8:31 PM
DALLAS - Jamie Benn and Colton Sceviour scored goals 15 seconds apart in the first period Thursday night, leading the Dallas Stars to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
Erik Cole had a goal and two assists, and Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley added two assists apiece for the Stars.
Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen made 26 saves and allowed only one goal for his 100th win with the Stars. He had allowed 10 goals during his previous two starts.
The Canucks (20-11-6) lost on the road for the second time in three nights following a seven-game winning streak. They had earned at least a point in eight consecutive games.
Dallas (17-12-5) started fast, taking six of the first seven shots on goal.
At 4:34 of the first period, Benn lifted a shot over Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo on assists from Seguin and Cole.
The Stars came right back at Luongo after the faceoff.
Peverley sent a pass across the goal mouth to Sceviour, who scored at 4:49 for his third goal in four games this season.
Vancouver's second shot of the game went into the upper-right corner of the net. Chris Higgins fired from the right faceoff circle over Lehtonen to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Stars had the game's first power play midway through the period, but the Canucks had the best scoring chances. Lehtonen stopped short-range shots by Jannik Hansen on a 2-on-1 short-handed rush and by Brad Richardson 2 seconds after Ryan Kesler's penalty expired.
Dallas led 2-1 after one period, with a 13-7 advantage in shots.
Lehtonen stopped Hansen again with a glove save barely a minute into the second period when Hansen shot as he skated past the right goalpost.
Vancouver had the first six shots on goal in the second, but the Stars had good chances during that time. Alex Goligoski fired a shot wide, and Peverley hit a post.
Dallas finally broke through for a 3-1 lead at 16:56 when Cole's shot trickled past Luongo's right side and across the goal line. Peverley received his second assist of the night.
Cody Eakin beat Luongo with a shot 22 seconds before the period ended, but the goal was waved off because of an interference penalty against the Stars' Ryan Garbutt.
Vancouver failed to score in the second despite a 13-5 advantage in shots.
In the third period, Cole's backhand pass set up Valeri Nichushkin in the right circle, and his shot beat Luongo. Canucks coach John Tortorella then replaced the goalie.
NOTES: Canucks defenceman Ryan Stanton didn't play after injuring his ankle injury midway through Tuesday's shootout loss at Minnesota. He flew back to Vancouver from Minneapolis. . Dallas defenceman Sergei Gonchar entered Thursday's game with six assists in the three previous games and eight in the last seven contests. He didn't score a point, but did have two takeaways. . The Stars have won both games between the teams. The first was a 2-1 Dallas victory in Vancouver Nov. 17 on goals by Cole and Nichushkin, with Lehtonen in goal.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013