The Dallas Stars completed a sweep of their three-game western Canada road trip and ran their November record to 6-1-1 after downing the Vancouver Canucks, 2-1, on Sunday night. Valeri Nichushkin and Erik Cole scored for Dallas, while Kari Lehtonen made 42 saves.
Quite simply, the Stars are a different team when they have a healthy Lehtonen in the lineup than they are without him. Yesterday, he more or less stole the game for Dallas by keeping them ahead, 1-0, through a lopsided second period dominated by Vancouver. The big Finn made 20 of his 43 saves in the middle period.
The Stars also caught a break on a disallowed Henrik Sedin goal that never should have been waved off. On the play, Daniel Sedin made such minimal contact with Lehtonen that it in no way impeded the goaltender.
Nevertheless, Lehtonen's play in net was nothing short of brilliant. He was called upon no fewer than a half-dozen times to make very difficult saves, and he kept his team ahead at times when it seemed inevitable the Canucks would tie and then forge ahead.
Nichushkin opened the scoring for the Stars at 9:33 of the first period. Tyler Seguin received a long stretch pass but was unable to turn it into a goal. Instead, Seguin sent the puck around to Jamie Benn on the right half boards. The Stars captained worked it back to Seguin behind the net. Nichushkin got open in the slot and converted a quick centering pass.
The skinny lead held until 1:42 of the third period. On a two-on-one rush, Cole received a cross-ice pass from Cody Eakin and buried it glove side past Roberto Luongo. The insurance goal proved critical, as Henrik Sedin scored a power play goal just 1:22 later.
The Stars have the next three nights off. They will return to action on Thursday, playing host to the New York Rangers.
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