Canucks vs Stars Game Review 31/01/2025

Canucks faced off against the Stars Friday night in a clash that was overshadowed by the trades the Canucks made. I’ve already talked about the trades so let’s get into the game, but before I start, I wasn’t able to watch the game live as I took a trip for the night, so I’ll be reviewing the highlights. The Canucks started off with a nice chance by Dakota Joshua that was stopped by the pad of Ottinger. Canucks kept up the shooting with long shots raining down on Ottinger. Boeser set up Pettersson for a good chance that Pettersson didn’t get all of. Both teams had chances back-to-back with Pettersson on one side and Hintz sending a backhand wide. Dallas moved the puck around the net courtesy of Colin Blackwell, Smith was able to beat Soucy to that ring around allowing Blackwell to regain the puck go around the net, as he was going around the net Beck battled with Raty to the front of the net. Blackwell sent the puck to Beck who put it home for his third of the year to take the 1-0 lead. Matt Dumba got called for Holding sending the Canucks to the powerplay where they started off hot, but the Stars eventually killed it. With five minutes left in the first Jaime Benn had a chance of the draw set up by Matt Duchane. After some zonetime for the Canucks Beck set up Blackwell for a chance that was stopped by Demko. Duchane and Benn combined for a good chance that was stopped by Demko, but the Stars came back in the zone and Wyatt Johnston set up Stankoven for a chance that was also denied.

To start the second period, Myers had a shot from the blue denied by Ottinger. Five minutes in Mavrik Bourque Backhanded one on goal that was stopped and after Dumba’s rebound was blocked sending the Canucks on a 3 on 2 where Hoglander would feed Garland with a Beautiful pass that Garland buried for his fourteenth of the year to tie the game at one apiece. Late in the second with the Stars on the powerplay they made a great passing play that ended with Robertson scoring his eighteenth of the year from the slot to regain the lead for the Stars.

Five minutes into the third period Esa Lindell sent a long pass, springing Hintz on a partial break where he would make a move to the backhand and put it five hole for his twenty-first of the year giving the Stars a 3-1 lead. The highlights skip to the last three minutes of the third so apologies for the big skip. The Canucks where on the powerplay with the goalie pulled when of the Draw Hintz sent the puck down the ice into the empty net for his twenty-second of the year and second of the game to extend Dallas’ lead to 4-1. Still on the powerplay Pettersson sent a pass to DeBrusk who swept it in front and scored his eighteenth of the year to cut the lead back down to 2. With 52.4 seconds to go Robertson would score from the redline into the empty net for his nineteenth of the year and second of the game putting the game out of the reach for the Canucks. Soucy would get his second of the year with three seconds left to cut the loss to 5-3.

The Canucks are just out of the wildcard spot still just by one point depending on the Flames game tonight. If the Flames lose then the Canucks could regain tomorrow against the Red Wings. Still the Canucks needed this win especially against a good team. Luckily Sunday will hopefully be the debut for Chytil, Pettersson and O’Conner giving the Canucks a well needed help to get closer to the playoffs.