Stars 3, Canucks 1: Special teams failure puts playoff spot off again

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Goals usually make for fun … but when it’s two of the best teams in hockey, sometimes a 1-1 game features great hockey too.

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And on this night, that was the story.

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The final score was 3-1 for Dallas but it was far from a dull affair. And it’s not like the Canucks didn’t have their chances.

Both teams ground hard. They created lots of chances. They got in each other’s face.

The shots were even. The chances were even.

But some nights you just need a bounce here or there.

Or a power play that gets it done.

Dallas scored both their goals on the man advantage, including on a late third-period power play.

The Canucks’ penalty kill has been very strong of late so giving up two goals while down a man will especially sting.

So will the Canucks’ own power play power outage. They managed just four shots across three power plays, all in the second period.

Hard finish

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Jamie Benn’s game-winner was like watching a reverse-colour ghost.

It was a hard pass off the left wing by Joe Pavelski, with Benn in the slot for a one-timed shot that sailed past Canucks goalie Casey DeSmith and bulged the twine of the net as much as could be.

It was exactly the kind of goal Bo Horvat used to score.

It’s a play the Canucks would like to use again. They’ve got the very handy Pius Suter playing in the bumper spot lately but he doesn’t have a heavy quick shot like that.

Is it worth trying Elias Pettersson in the bumper? He’s got a rifle to work with.

Coming back is hard

Credit the Canucks for finding a tying goal in the second period.

That’s not an easy thing to do in a league were defending is so sharp, especially by league-leading teams like Dallas.

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But giving up the go ahead goal with just over three minutes to play doesn’t leave much margin for error.

Especially, again, against a league-leading team like Dallas.

Still waiting

Had the Canucks won, they’d have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs, officially.

They didn’t get the results on the out of town scoreboard for it to finish any other way.

Big gamer

There is no doubt J.T. Miller loves a big game.

And so when the puck came sliding out on a Conor Garland-designed platter to him early in the second period, he didn’t miss his chance.

No high-stick?

If you were among the many who didn’t understand how Jason Robertson wasn’t whistled for touching the puck before Roope Hintz’s first period power play goal, you weren’t alone.

After a long review, the referees announced that their initial call had been confirmed, that Robertson hadn’t touched the puck above his shoulders.

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It was borderline, so it’s also possible they felt the results of the replays were inconclusive.

Whatever the reasoning, the NHL said that the play hadn’t violated rule 80.1.

After the game DeSmith was diplomatic and said it was a close call.

Tocchet admitted he wasn’t sure. He trusts video coach Dylan Crawford and he should; his job is to nail stuff like this and from all the angles we could see in the press box, he made the right call.

But it’s plainly obvious the Canucks’ bench was incredibly frustrated by the call.

You know Soucy loves it

There were a few moments in the second period where Carson Soucy showed off the edge to his game that was one of the first things that helped him stand out in the NHL.

The Stars love to play on top of the crease, getting involved in all kinds of little skirmishes.

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You could see Soucy’s wide grin about mixing it up with an assortment of Dallas forwards during a late-period penalty kill.

He was made for this stuff.

NEXT GAME

Sunday

Anaheim Ducks vs. Vancouver Canucks

12:30 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: SN Pacific, Radio: Sportsnet 650

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