Josh Leivo's shootout goal gave the visiting Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday night.
Leivo scored in the fourth round of the shootout. The Canucks posted their second win in three games, while the Stars took their second straight loss, which prevented Dallas from gaining ground on St. Louis for third place in the Central Division.
Tim Schaller led the Canucks with two goals, marking the first two-goal game of his NHL career. The goals were also the first as a Canuck for Schaller, a summer 2018 free agent signing who has been a frequent healthy scratch after playing all 82 regular-season games and 11 playoff contests with Boston last season.
Jamie Benn and Taylor Fedun tallied for the Stars.
Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 44 of 46 shots. Dallas netminder Anton Khudobin recorded 25 saves on 27 shots.
The Canucks squandered a 2-0 lead for the second game in a row. Schaller opened the scoring 52 seconds into the game as he came around the net and squeezed a shot between Khudobin and the post. It was Khudobin's second straight game allowing a goal in the first minute.
The goal was Schaller's first in almost a year. He last scored for Boston against Tampa Bay on March 29, 2018. Jay Beagle earned a quick assist after sitting out Friday's overtime loss to New Jersey due to illness.
Schaller put the Canucks ahead 2-0 at 10:53 of the first as he one-timed Elias Pettersson's pass from the corner. Brock Boeser also assisted on the goal, extending his points streak to six games.
Khudobin denied Pettersson on a penalty shot later in the second period. The goaltender appeared to throw his stick at the puck, preventing the Vancouver center from shooting. But Khudobin's misdeed went unpunished. NHL rule 25.4 calls for a goal to be awarded if a goalie deliberately throws his stick during a penalty shot.
The penalty shot was awarded after Stars defenseman John Klingberg held Pettersson on a clear breakaway.
Benn cut the Stars' deficit in half with 22 seconds left in the middle frame, firing in a low shot from right wing. Fedun created a 2-2 tie with 3:50 left in the third period as his slapshot from the blue line went in off a Canucks defender.
The Stars outshot the Canucks 14-3 in the third.
The Canucks were unable to score during a four-on-three power play in overtime after Benn was penalized for tripping Pettersson. Markstrom forced the shootout by stopping Tyler Seguin on a last-second shot off a face-off with Khudobin pulled for an extra attacker.
--Field Level Media
Vancouver | Dallas | |
Tim Schaller 2 | Points | Jamie Benn 1 |
Tim Schaller 2 | Goals | Jamie Benn 1 |
Jay Beagle 1 | Assists | John Klingberg 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jacob Markstrom .957 | Save Percentage | Anton Khudobin .926 |
Jacob Markstrom 44 | Saves | Anton Khudobin 25 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Vancouver | 27 | 3 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 4 | 38 |
Dallas | 46 | 2 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 4 | 33 |