National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Dallas 4, Vancouver 1
When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, December 19, 2013
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Referees: Jean Hebert, Wes McCauley
Linesmen: Mike Cvik, Bryan Pancich
Attendance: 15644

Stars 4, Canucks 1: Erik Cole scored a goal and set up two others as host Dallas halted Vancouver's eight-game point streak.
Captain Jamie Benn, Colton Sceviour and fellow rookie Valeri Nichushkin also tallied for the Stars, who have won consecutive games for the first time since sweeping a three-game road trip from Nov. 13-17. Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley each recorded two assists and Kari Lehtonen made 27 saves in notching his 100th career victory with Dallas.
Chris Higgins scored the lone goal for the Canucks, who suffered their first regulation loss since Nov. 30 at the New York Rangers. Roberto Luongo allowed four goals on 19 shots before being replaced in the third period by Eddie Lack, who stopped all seven shots he faced.
Just 15 seconds after Benn beat Luongo from the inner edge of the left faceoff circle at 4:34 of the opening session, Cole recorded the secondary assist on the third goal of the season - and second in as many games - by Sceviour, who converted a cross-slot pass by Peverley.
Higgins halved the deficit with a shot from the right circle at 7:38, but Cole beat Luongo from the left circle with 3:04 remaining in the second to restore Dallas' two-goal advantage. Cole made a nifty backhand pass to Nichushkin for a shot from the bottom of the right circle 2:23 into the third that capped the scoring and chased Luongo.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Higgins has scored three goals in his last four games. ... Vancouver has lost in regulation only four times since Nov. 17, with two of the defeats coming at the hands of the Stars. ... Dallas failed to cash in on four power-play opportunities and is now just 2-for-55 with the man advantage at home this season.
Top Game Performances
 
Vancouver   Dallas
Chris Higgins 1 Points Erik Cole 3
Chris Higgins 1 Goals Erik Cole 1
Kevin Bieksa 1 Assists Erik Cole 2
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Eddie Lack 1.000 Save Percentage Kari Lehtonen .964
Roberto Luongo 15 Saves Kari Lehtonen 27
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Vancouver 28 1 0-3 4-4 18 28
Dallas 26 4 0-4 3-3 6 23
Upcoming Games
  • Dallas will play their next game on the road against San Jose. The Stars have a W/L % of .353 after a win and .647 after a loss.
  • Vancouver will play their next game on the road against Chicago. The Canucks have a W/L % of .571 after a win and .500 after a loss.