The Dallas Stars turned a close game into a loss, giving the Vancouver Canucks another tough fight Monday night in a 6-1 loss at Rogers Arena.
The Canucks scored first, then watched as the Stars scored six consecutive goals, bringing the Canucks’ score to six games.
The Stars also made franchise history with their ninth consecutive win, according to NHL.com, while Vancouver fell to 18–35–7.
The final score seemed brutal, and the flow of the game became worse as the game progressed, with the Stars outscoring the Canucks 31–7 in 40 minutes.
Evander Kane gave Vancouver the real kick at 7:57 of the first period. He completed a 2-on-1 after Jake DeBrusk’s shot bounced off Jake Oettinger and off Kane’s skate at the far post, giving the Canucks a 1-0 lead and giving the building some life.
Then the game went into full swing.
Adam Erne equalized it for the first time at 17:40 on an awkward bounce that deflected off Ze’ev Buim, hit the end boards, and then went off the skate of Nikita Tolopilo as he headed back onto the post. It was a strange goal with poor timing, and suddenly Vancouver’s strong first period felt unsafe.
when things went wrong
Lianne Bixel put the Stars ahead 2–1 at 8:31 of the second minute, and just 1:10 later, Jason Robertson made it 3–1 on the power play.
That stretch was the turning point. Kane told NHL.com that the Canucks have done a poor job of giving up a lot of goals this season and this game was another example of that.
Bichsel’s night was full of stars. It was his first two-goal game in the NHL, and he was part of the Stars’ attack, which continued to find open space after the Canucks began chasing.
Matt Duchene and Colin Blackwell each added a goal and an assist, and Erne also scored in a balanced Stars effort.
Jake Oettinger only had to stop 13 shots, which tells its own story. Tolopillo finished with 31 saves, but suffered a high volume of saves.
I’ve seen bad Canucks losses before, and this time it was the same feeling, where a good start quickly disappears and the game never comes back.
Canucks defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph left early in the third period with an upper-body injury, Adam Foote said while X-rays were examined. Tyler Myers also remained out for roster management purposes after taking warmups, leaving the blue-line situation unstable.
That’s a lot to take into the next game, especially with the trade deadline approaching.
Canucks draft lottery conversation
This loss makes it hard to ignore the Canucks’ place in the NHL Draft Lottery conversation. The franchise is approaching high-pick territory at a time when the standings are beginning to tell a different story than preseason expectations.
With the March 7 trade deadline approaching, the front office is eyeing real decisions. A playoff push no longer looks realistic, and nights like these only focus on what comes next, whether that means short-term roster moves, keeping assets, or starting to position the team for the offseason.
vancouver canucks who will play next
Next up is a road game against the Utah Hockey Club.
- game: Canucks at Utah Hockey Club
- game time: Wednesday, March 4 at 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT
- TV: Sportsnet Pacific
- radio: sportsnet 650
So far, there have been no confirmed lineup changes or injury updates from Monday night’s game as of this writing.
Tolopillo’s condition will be worth monitoring on Wednesday after a six-goal night, although there have been no signs to suggest he is injured.
The March 7 trade deadline also adds a layer of uncertainty to any projected lineup, with roster management decisions likely to emerge before the Canucks arrive in Utah.
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