Dallas Stars 4-2 Vancouver Canucks game recap 2025: Oettinger 34 saves lift Stars in gutsy road victory

The Dallas Stars continued their impressive road form with a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night at Rogers Arena, with goaltender Jake Oettinger delivering a masterful 34-save performance to secure the win. The victory extended the Stars’ point streak to six games, as they’ve now won six of their past seven contests while maintaining an unblemished 5-0-2 record in their last seven road games. Jason Robertson extended his goal-scoring streak to five consecutive games, and forwards Mavrik Bourke, Colin Blackwell, and Mikko Rantanen also found the back of the net.

Despite being outshot 36-24 by a determined Canucks squad that dominated stretches of play—particularly in the second period—the Stars demonstrated the resilience and timely scoring that has become their hallmark this season. Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson and Linus Karlsson provided the offense for the home team, but Kevin Lankinen’s 20 saves weren’t enough to match Oettinger’s brilliance in the crucial third period when Dallas scored twice to break a 2-2 tie.

Dallas Stars 4-2 Vancouver Canucks game recap 2025: Oettinger 34 saves and timely offense steal the show

The contest began with immediate fireworks as Mavrik Bourke put the Stars ahead just 55 seconds into the opening period. After Lankinen stopped his initial attempt on a 2-on-1 break, the puck squirted loose behind the net where Justin Hryckowian recovered it and fed a circling Bourke for an easy tap-in into the vacated cage. The young forward’s early marker seemed to catch the Canucks sleeping, but Vancouver responded quickly at the 3:06 mark when Linus Karlsson capitalized on a neutral zone turnover, skating down the left wing and firing a wrist shot past Oettinger from inside the left face-off dot.

Jason Robertson restored Dallas’ lead with his ninth goal in five games, executing a beautiful spin-and-shoot maneuver from the right face-off dot that sailed over Lankinen’s left shoulder. The tally extended his goal streak to five consecutive games and his point streak to six, giving him 13 points (9 goals, 4 assists) during that span. Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen had little chance on the perfectly placed shot, which came off the cycle and demonstrated Robertson’s elite scoring touch.

Elias Pettersson tied the game 2-2 late in the first period during a Vancouver power play, knocking in a rebound during a goalmouth scramble at the 14:25 mark. The play began with Pettersson himself driving hard to the net from the goal line, creating the chaos that ended with him shoveling the puck home. The goal represented the first power-play tally surrendered by the Stars in six games, ending their impressive run of 11 consecutive penalty kills. Pettersson has been on fire lately, extending his own five-game point streak to nine points (4 goals, 5 assists) despite the loss.

Stars penalty kill shines during critical 5-on-3 sequence

The second period belonged largely to the Canucks, who outshot Dallas 15-6 and generated numerous high-danger scoring opportunities. Vancouver’s best chance came early in the frame when they enjoyed a two-man advantage for 1 minute and 20 seconds after the Stars took overlapping penalties. The Canucks moved the puck brilliantly around the zone and created several prime looks, including a cross-crease chance for Jake DeBrusk that seemed destined for the back of the net.

However, Oettinger spread himself across the crease and somehow managed to stop the puck as it slid under his body, preserving the 2-2 tie in what would prove to be the game’s pivotal moment. The Dallas goaltender also made a spectacular backdoor left-pad save against Brock Boeser off the rush with 1:52 remaining in the period, then denied Pettersson from the top of the crease during another power-play opportunity early in the third. The Stars’ penalty kill unit was aggressive and disciplined, blocking shooting lanes and clearing pucks effectively during the extended 5-on-3.

Canucks coach Adam Foote praised his team’s effort despite the loss, calling it “probably our best game of the year.” The statistics supported his assessment, as Vancouver dominated possession and shot attempts for long stretches while frustrating the Stars’ typically explosive offense. The home squad generated multiple odd-man rushes and controlled the tempo in the middle frame, but Oettinger’s brilliance prevented them from taking the lead. Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan acknowledged his team needed to regroup during the second intermission, emphasizing the importance of a strong third-period start.

Oettinger 34 saves includes brilliant third-period performance

After surrendering two goals in the first period, Jake Oettinger was nearly perfect for the final 40 minutes, stopping all 25 shots he faced. The goaltender admitted he wasn’t satisfied with his early performance, telling reporters, “I didn’t think I had my best in the first period, and wasn’t happy with the goals they scored, and just tried to bear down.” His ability to reset mentally proved crucial as the game tightened, particularly when Vancouver pressed for the go-ahead goal.

Oettinger’s best work came during the Canucks’ early third-period power play when he robbed Elias Pettersson from the top of the crease, stretching his right pad across to deny what looked like a sure goal. The momentum swing from that save carried over to the Dallas bench, as Colin Blackwell broke the 2-2 tie just minutes later. Blackwell got behind Quinn Hughes to take a neutral zone pass from Radek Faksa, breaking in alone and snapping a wrist shot over Lankinen’s glove at 10:47 of the third period for his second goal of the season.

The insurance marker came with 1:31 remaining when Mikko Rantanen scored on a dazzling solo rush, spinning around backchecking Brock Boeser before delivering a perfect backhand over Lankinen’s left shoulder from the right face-off dot. The highlight-reel goal sealed the victory and capped Rantanen’s five-game point streak, during which he’s accumulated seven points (2 goals, 5 assists). The Finnish winger’s ability to create offense off the rush continues to make Dallas one of the league’s most dangerous transition teams.

Implications for both teams moving forward

This Dallas Stars 4-2 Vancouver Canucks game recap 2025 demonstrates that the Stars can win in multiple ways, grinding out road victories even when they don’t control the run of play. Their 13-5-3 record places them firmly among the Western Conference elite, and their road dominance suggests they’ll be a tough out in hostile environments come playoff time. The contributions from depth players like Blackwell and Bourke complement the star power of Robertson and Rantanen, giving Dallas the balanced attack necessary for sustained success.

For Vancouver, the frustrating loss drops them to 9-11-2 and extends their slump to 1-3-2 in their past six games. Despite the strong effort, their inability to convert on the extended 5-on-3 and other prime chances continues a troubling trend of wasted opportunities. Pettersson’s strong play provides a silver lining, as the young star has been carrying the offense during this difficult stretch. The Canucks will need to find ways to support their top line and tighten defensively when it matters most if they hope to climb back into playoff contention.

The Stars now head to Calgary for the second game of their four-game road trip, where they’ll look to continue their Western Canadian dominance. Their special teams have become a real weapon, with the penalty kill successfully navigating dangerous situations and the power play converting when chances arise. Meanwhile, the Canucks must quickly shake off this disappointment as they prepare to host the same Calgary Flames on Sunday night, desperately needing points to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot in the competitive Pacific Division.

For more analysis of this contest, check out our Dallas Stars vs Vancouver Canucks projected lineup November 20 2025 preview piece that breaks down the expected rosters and matchups. Additionally, details on Pettersson’s recent scoring surge can be found in our coverage of the Pettersson shines as Canucks fall to Hurricanes in overtime from earlier in the week.

Sources: NHL.com game recap and ESPN game summary