Thatcher Demko makes 27 saves as Vancouver Canucks top Dallas Stars 2-0

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Thatcher Demko made 27 saves in his second shutout of the season, and the Vancouver Canucks beat Jake Oettinger and the Dallas Stars 2-0 on Saturday night.

Pius Suter and Elias Pettersson scored in the second period as Vancouver improved to 4-0-1 at home.

It was Demko’s fifth career shutout. He is 7-0-0 against Dallas.

Oettinger stopped 26 shots for the Stars, who had won three in a row and six of seven overall.

Each team came up empty on the power play. Vancouver went 0 for 5 against the NHL’s second-best penalty kill, while Dallas was 0 for 3 with the man advantage.

A fast-paced first period was scoreless thanks to strong goaltending at both ends of the ice. The highlight was a point-blank glove save on Wyatt Johnston by Demko during the Stars’ first power play of the night, just over five minutes in.

The Canucks opened the scoring 4:21 into the second, when Suter worked a give-and-go with Dakota Joshua before breaking to the slot and directing the puck past Oettinger’s glove hand. It was Suter’s second goal of the season, and second in as many games.

With 5:06 left in the middle frame, Pettersson connected for his sixth of the year. He converted a pass from Filip Hronek past Oettinger for his 20th point of the season, tying him with Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils for the NHL scoring lead and extending his personal point streak to five games.

Shortly afterward, Ian Cole and Mason Marchment dropped the gloves after Cole laid a hard hit on Stars forward Matt Duchene. Duchene did not return to the game.

UP NEXT

Stars: Host Boston on Monday night before a three-game trip.

Canucks: Host Edmonton on Monday night in the finale of a two-game homestand.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL