Vancouver Canucks/Refs 4, Dallas Stars 1

by Mark Stepneski of Andrew's Stars Page

The Dallas Stars had momentum going into Game 7 of their Western Conference playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks. But the Canucks took it back in the second period Monday night at GM Place and rode it to a 4-1 win, ending the Stars' season and sending them to their third straight first round playoff defeat.

Trevor Linden's power play goal with 13:00 left in the third period snapped a 1-1 tie and held up as the game-winner for the Canucks, who added two empty net goals late in the game to seal the win.

The Canucks' power play, which came into the game 1-28 for the series, scored twice on ten chances, used the power play time to establish momentum in the second period of the game and was able to tie the contest after Dallas took a 1-0 lead.

"Baffling. Baffling," Stars coach Dave Tippett said of some of the penalty calls in the game. "It's Game 7. Let the players decide it. ... In the second period we took five penalties it just changed the whole complexion of the game, the whole momentum of the game."

Canucks coach Alan Vigneault thought his team raising its level of play in the second period led to the calls going their way.

"In the last 40 minutes we were the better team," Vigneault said. "Our intensity is what it needed to be and that's why I think Dallas was forced to take so many penalties."

Instead of a second round meeting with the Detroit Red Wings, the Stars will head off into the offseason after the 4-3 series defeat. The Vancouver Canucks will advance to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they will meet the Anaheim Ducks.

"In the last 40 minutes we were the better team," said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. "Our intensity is what it needed to be and that's why I think Dallas was forced to take so many penalties."

Dallas' Marty Turco and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo were both spectacular in goal again, continuing what was a spectacular display of netminding in the series.

Turco stopped 28 of shots in the game and Luongo made 19 saves on 20 shots, including a brilliant save on Stu Barnes to preserve the Canucks lead late in the game.

The Stars got the all important first goal late in the first when Joel Lundqvist scored off the rush. After getting the puck in the neutral zone, Lundqvist skated down the left wing, cut into the right circle on Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa and ripped the puck past Luongo at the 16:32 mark.

The Canucks dominated the second period and established that all important momentum thanks in part to a lot of power play time, including 48 seconds of five-on-three time.

They missed on the two-man advantage due to some great saves by Turco, but did cash in on a five-on-four chance to tie the game at 15:12 of the second period.

After Daniel Sedin got to a puck along the left boards he flicked the puck towards the front of the net, where he is twin brother, Henrik, was able to score high on Turco.

Linden's game-winner in the third came when he set up shot in front of the net, tipped a Mattias Ohlund shot and beat Turco five hole.

The Stars had a couple of great chances to tie, but Luongo made a spectacular glove save on Barnes' shot from point range and a Mike Modano one-timer rang off the crossbar.

Taylor Pyatt and Bryan Smolinski scored into the empty net after Turco was pulled for the extra attacker to round out the scoring for the Canucks.

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