2425 GDG 1.31 vs VAN
Dallas Stars
Vancouver Canucks
Record
32-17-1 (18-7-1 Home)
23-17-10 (14-7-4 Away)
Rank
65 Points (2nd in Central)
56 Points (4th in Pacific)
Power Play
18.8% (29-for-154)
22.8% (31-for-136)
Penalty Kill
84.2% (112-for-133)
80.4% (119-for-148)
Last 10 Games
6-4-0
5-5-0

Five Points 5️⃣

  • The Dallas Stars face the Vancouver Canucks Friday night for the first time this season. Entering Friday's match, the Stars are 32-17-1 while the Canucks are 23-17-10. The teams face each other two more times this season on March 9 (Vancouver) and April 8 (Dallas).
  • Dallas is 98-75-29 all-time vs. Vancouver, with a 86-43-22 mark at home.
  • The Stars have won their last two consecutive games against the Canucks and have earned points in eight of their last 14 games vs. Vancouver (5-6-3).
  • Forward Sam Steel has eight points (8-0—8) in 10 career games vs. Vancouver, including his lone hat trick on March 26, 2019 at Vancouver (w/ Anaheim). Steel has goals in six of his 10 appearances against the Canucks.
  • Forward Roope Hintz enters Friday's contest riding a two-game point streak against the Canucks, earning four points (2-2—4) during that span. In all, Hintz has registered eight points (5-3—8) in 12 career games against Vancouver.

Stats Against Opponent ✍

Active Streaks
Leading Scorers
Roope Hintz (2-2—4, 2 GP)
Jamie Benn (17-19—36, 41 GP)
Jason Robertson (1-3—4, 2 GP)
Tyler Seguin (10-20—30, 30 GP)
Matt Duchene (14-14—28, 45 GP)
Evgenii Dadanov (6-5—11, 26 GP)

Players To Watch 👀

Stars forward Wyatt Johnston registered a hat trick (3-0—3) in Dallas' last game on Jan. 28 at Vegas, his second career hat trick (last: March 5, 2024 at San Jose) and the Stars' first hat trick of the season, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to score a natural hat trick. Johnston has tallied 35 points (12-23—35) in 33 games since Nov. 20 and is now pacing to finish the year with 23 goals, 46 assists and 69 points. 46 assists and 69 points would both be a career high for the forward.

Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes rides a seven-game point streak (5-6—11) entering Friday's matchup, including three straight multi-point performances. Hughes leads all NHL defensemen in points (14-44—58) this season and is on pace to set new career highs in goals (24) and points (98). Hughes sits second in points among all-time Vancouver defensemen (57-334—391) and is only 19 points away from passing Alexander Edler for most points in franchise history by a defenseman.

First Shift 🏒

Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen will be out “week-to-week” after suffering a lower body injury on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Heiskanen was skating the puck up ice when Vegas captain Mark Stone tripped and fell helmet-first into Heiskanen’s left knee. Heiskanen crumpled to the ice and was holding his knee before being helped off to the dressing room. Stars coach Pete DeBoer said on Thursday that the Stars are taking a wait-and-see approach with their top defenseman.

"We’re terming him 'week-to-week,'" DeBoer said. “He had an MRI yesterday and then he’s seeing the specialist today, and we’ll know more after that meeting."

The timeline is potentially manageable for Heiskanen. The 4 Nations Face-Off will be held Feb. 12-20 in Montréal and Boston, and Heiskanen has been declared out by Team Finland. That could give him an additional two weeks to recover before the Stars’ regular-season schedule resumes on Feb. 22 in New Jersey. The team has five more games before the break begins.

In the short-term, it’s just one more challenge for the Stars. Dallas is already missing Seguin (potentially out until the playoffs after hip surgery) and Mason Marchment (week-to-week after face surgery). This means they are without three of their best players for a pretty big chunk of the season. Also concerning is the fact that defenseman Nils Lundkvist has missed the past three games.

That means that Thomas Harley and AHL call-up Kyle Capobianco step up. Harley is an easy sub. The 23-year-old is second on the team in time on ice at 22:27 (only trailing Heiskanen’s 25:10) and is second among defensemen scoring at 23 points (7 goals, 16 assists) behind Heiskanen’s 25 points (5 goals, 20 assists).

“You don’t want anyone to ever go down, but there is the opportunity to take on a bigger role,” said Johnston, who has done the same thing in the forward group. “Harls is an awesome player and he does so much for us. But, yeah, it’s an opportunity to help pitch in. It’s everyone's, obviously, but it is a big opportunity for Harls and for some other guys.”

Heiskanen leads all Stars players in power play time on ice per game at 3:35 per game. Harley is 10th on the team (2nd among defensemen) at 1:38. He would generally come out to get time with the second unit after Heiskanen changed from his shift. The rangy lefty will likely get the first shot with the top unit now.

Capobianco is a candidate to take on Harley’s role. While both Esa Lindell and Matt Dumba are NHL veterans who have past power play experience, they are more defensive defensemen at this point. Capobianco, 27, has been leading the power play for the Texas Stars in the AHL and has 28 points (2 goals, 26 assists) this season. That includes 10 power play assists. Last year, with the Manitoba Moose, he had 54 points (12 goals, 42 assists) in 69 games.

“He’s turned himself into a really good pro,” DeBoer said. “We had a brief look at him in training camp and I liked what I saw. He’s got decent size, he has run a power play in the American League really successfully for a couple of years now. He skates really well. With Miro out, we’re looking to replace a little bit of that offense, power play, and he’s the guy that best fits that description with the guys we have left available. I’m excited to see him. It’s a great opportunity for him.”

In 73 career NHL games with Arizona and Winnipeg, he has 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists).

The guess is Harley, Lindell and Ilya Lyubushkin will be getting a sturdy uptick in ice time, but it also is an opportunity for rookie Lian Bichsel. The 20-year-old has averaged 13:57 in 11 games this season.

Dallas also has veteran Brendan Smith as an option on defense, though he has performed well at forward recently. If Smith switches to defense, The Stars would have to call up a forward, so we’ll see where that goes.

“It’s got to be the same way we have adjusted to Tyler Seguin out, to Mason Marchment out, to Roope Hintz out,” DeBoer said. “It’s next man up. We’ve got some guys in that defense room who I think can elevate their game. That’s the reality of the NHL season.”

Key Numbers 🔢

21 years, 259 days

Stars forward Johnston became the youngest player in franchise history to score a natural hat trick (three consecutive goals) Tuesday at Vegas. Johnston was 21 years, 259 days. Seguin held the previous record at 21 years, 310 days (set in 2013).

10

Vancouver has the most overtime/shootout losses in the league at 10. The Canucks are 4-10 in games decided past regulation. Dallas is a league-best 6-1.

209

Vancouver ranks 29th in penalties taken at 209. Dallas ranks sixth at 148.

He Said It 📢

“He’s getting really close. The goal all along was getting him into games prior to the break, and I think that’s still the plan.”

-Stars coach Pete DeBoer on the potential return of Marchment, who is recovering from facial surgery. Marchment has been participating in full practice with a helmet cage.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.

Upcoming Games 📅

Opponent
Date
Time
Location
Stream
February 2
5:00 PM CT
American Airlines Center
Anaheim Ducks 
February 4
9:30 PM CT
Honda Center
Los Angeles Kings
February 7
9:30 PM CT
Crypto.com Arena

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