The Dallas Stars lost goaltender Kari Lehtonen to a lower body injury, but fought back to beat the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, at Rogers Arena Friday night. Brenden Dillon scored the game-winning goal with 3:01 remaining for the Stars, who overcame a 3-1 deficit in the game. Reilly Smith, Cody Eakin and Antoine Roussel also scored. Richard Bachman stopped 18 of 21 shots for the Stars, who improved to 8-6-1 on the season.
Lehtonen injured
The Stars lost goaltender Kari Lehtonen with 6:27 left in the first period to a lower body injury. Lehtonen was injured while stopping a shot from the slot by Jordan Schroeder. He left the game immediately after the play and was replaced by Richard Bachman. The Stars said Lehtonen will be re-evaluated by the team’s medical staff on Saturday.
Depth scoring
The Stars didn’t get any goals from their big guns in the game. The scoring came from guys like Reilly Smith, who scored his first NHL goal. Cody Eakin scored his second of the season. Antoine Roussel scored his second of the season and second career goal. Brenden Dillon, who scored the winner, tallied his third of the season and third career goal.
Fight night
The Stars and Canucks engaged in three fights in the span of three seconds late in the second period and it seemed to change the momentum in the favor of the Stars, who were down 3-1 at the time. It started with a bout between Stars forward Ryan Garbutt and Canucks forward Aaron Volpatti, former teammates at Brown University. On the next faceoff, Stars center Vernon Fiddler and Canucks forward Maxime Lapierre went at it. Then on the ensuing faceoff it was Stars forward Eric Nystrom and Canucks forward Dale Weise.
First period
The Stars killed off two Vancouver power plays in the first. At 13:33 they lost goaltender Kari Lehtonen, who was injured stopping a hard shot from the slot by Canucks forward Jordan Schroeder.
Richard Bachman took over and the Canucks appeared to take a 1-0 lead on a Mason Raymond goal, but it was waved off for incidental contact with the goaltender.
Just 11 seconds later the Stars had a 1-0 lead when Reilly Smith scored his first NHL goal, beating Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider from a sharp angle.
Second period
The Canucks scored two goals 53 seconds apart early in the period to take a 2-1 lead. Daniel Sedin banked a backhand in the net off Bachman from close range at the 3:21 mark to tie the game.
Chris Higgins put the Canucks head 2-1 at the 4:14 mark when his shot deflected off Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas and into the net.
The Canucks extended the lead to 3-1 at the 9:56 mark when Henrik Sedin set up Alex Burrows, who scored from close range off the rush. The assist made Sedin the all-time leading scorer in Canucks history.
The Stars had some good chances on their third power play of the period, but couldn’t cut into the lead.
There were three fights late in the period. Ryan Garbutt squared off against Aaron Volpatti. On the next faceoff, Vernon Fiddler went with Max Lapierre. Then on the next faceoff Eric Nystrom dropped the gloves with Dale Weise.
The Stars made it a 3-2 game with 2:10 left in the period when Trevor Daley put a puck on net, Schneider lost the rebound and Cody Eakin knocked it into the net.
Third period
The Stars got the equalizer with 7:38 left in the third period when Antoine Roussel drove the net, got to a bouncing puck and popped it past Schneider to make it a 3-3 game.
The Stars took a 4-3 lead with 3:01 left in the game. After some great by Jaromir Jagr, Jamie Benn set up Brenden Dillon, who scored from the left circle.
Stars lineup
Morrow-Benn-Jagr
Smith-Roy-Eriksson
Roussel-Eakin-Ryder
Nystrom-Fiddler-Garbutt
Dillon-Robidas
Rome-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen
Lehtonen (starter)
Bachman
Injured: Whitney (foot)
Scratched: Vincour, Wandell
February 15, 2013 11:41 pm 


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