Canucks at Stars
The Vancouver Canucks attempt to extend their point streak to four games Friday as they continue their three-game road trip with a matchup against the Dallas Stars. Vancouver, which is looking to win consecutive contests for the first time since opening the season with four straight triumphs, improved to 2-0-1 in its last three when it began its trek with a 4-1 victory at Arizona on Wednesday.
Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat each recorded a goal and two assists as the Canucks posted just their second win in nine road games this campaign. Dallas dropped a 5-2 decision at Nashville on Wednesday for its fourth setback in the last six contests (2-2-2). The stretch began on Nov. 13, when the Stars squandered a late lead in Vancouver and suffered a 5-4 loss in overtime. Patrick Sharp and Brett Ritchie scored on Wednesday for Dallas, which has posted just one regulation victory in its last five home games.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FSN Southwest Plus (Dallas)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (8-10-2): Vancouver rewarded Ben Hutton on Thursday with a two-year contract extension that will pay the defenseman an average of $2.8 million. "Ben is developing into one of our young, emerging core players and is an important part of our future," general manager Jim Benning told reporters. "We're excited to see him further elevate his game and help this team compete for years to come." The 23-year-old Hutton leads all Canucks defensemen this season with two goals and is tied with Luca Sbisa and Philip Larsen for first on the club among blue-liners with four points.
ABOUT THE STARS (8-8-5): The goal against the Predators - a short-hander - was the first of the season by Sharp, who was appearing in his third game after missing 14 with a concussion. John Klingberg, who leads all Dallas defensemen with 10 points, was back in the lineup Wednesday after being scratched for one game for arriving late to a team meeting. Patrick Eaves was kept off the scoresheet by Nashville, ending a six-game point streak during which he collected six goals and two assists.
OVERTIME
1. The Stars, who entered Thursday last in the league with a 3.38 goals-against average, are 0-6-3 when yielding four or more tallies.
2. Canucks C Joseph Labate made his NHL debut in place of F Jack Skille (upper body) on Wednesday and saw 5 minutes, 55 seconds of ice time on nine shifts.
3. The defeat in Vancouver on Nov. 13 marked the last time Dallas has scored more than three goals.