Jake DeBrusk, Vancouver Canucks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Canucks Complete Improbable Comeback, Defeat Stars 6-5 in OT

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Marc Sautter | Last updated Apr 8, 2025 11:14 PM ET

The Vancouver Canucks (36-29-13) were down 5-2 with 2:21 remaining in third, and dug deep to keep their playoff hopes alive and beat the Dallas Stars (50-22-6) 6-5 in overtime.

Jake DeBrusk, Victor Mancini, Aatu Raty, Pius Suter, and Kiefer Sherwood were the goal scorers for Vancouver. Thatcher Demko made 23 saves.

Mikko Rantanen, Mason Marchment, Matt Duchene, Mavrik Bourque, and Mikael Granlund scored for the Stars. Casey DeSmith made 26 saves.

Game Recap

The power play for Dallas produced at a high level on Tuesday night, and it started at 13:48 of the opening period. Rantanen snapped home a one-timer from the right circle for his 32nd goal of the season and his first at the American Airlines Center as a member of the Stars.

Less than five minutes later, Marchment scored another power-play goal, this time with a one-timer from the left circle on a pass from Jamie Benn. Tuesday night was Marchment’s 300th career game in the NHL.

Duchene completed the power-play trifecta at 7:28 of the second period on a beautiful behind-the-back pass from Benn to Duchene at the bottom of the left circle. With the goal, Duchene hits 30 goals and 80 points on the season.

The Canucks started some power-play heroics of their own 17 seconds into the final 20 minutes. DeBrusk scored his 25th of the season on a shot from below the goal line that banked off of DeSmith’s skate and into the net.

Mancini scored the Canucks’ second power-play goal in less than five minutes at 4:39 on a point shot that deflected off of Bourque and past DeSmith.

Bourque pushed the lead to 4-2 at 17:15 with a one-timer in the slot on a Jason Robertson pass from behind the net. Granlund seemingly put the game away with an empty-netter at 17:39 to make the score 5-2.

The chaos began with one minute remaining, as Raty scored from the left circle to bring the Canucks to within two. Suter cut the Stars’ lead to 5-4 with 30 seconds left with a shot from the low slot.

Suter struck again at 19:54 to score the Canucks’ third goal in the final minute with a snap shot from the left circle to send the game to overtime tied 5-5.

Sherwood completed the improbable comeback for the Canucks at 3:44 of overtime. Garland found Sherwood at the bottom of the right circle from behind the net, and Sherwood snapped it home for his 18th of season. The Canucks won 6-5 and kept their playoff hopes alive.

The Canucks outshot the Stars 32-28 and went 2-for-4 on the power play. The Stars went 3-for-4 with the man advantage.

Up Next

Both teams are back in action on Thursday night. The Stars will host the Winnipeg Jets, and the Canucks will head to Denver to take on the Colorado Avalanche.