Kyle Wellwood, Ryan Kesler score in shootout, Canucks beat Stars 4-3

Canucks beat Stars 4-3 in shootout

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Kyle Wellwood and Ryan Kesler scored in the shootout, and the Vancouver Canucks overcame a tying goal late in regulation to beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 on Sunday night.

Wellwood beat Marty Turco with a deke to open the shootout, Brad Richards was forced wide by a sprawling Roberto Luongo, and Kesler snapped a low shot past Turco’s blocker. Luongo, who made 33 saves, stopped Mike Ribeiro to preserve the victory.

Low-scoring defenseman Willie Mitchell put the Canucks ahead 6:53 into the third period, less than 2 minutes after Brad Richards tied it. But Dallas rookie Jamie Benn scored his first NHL goal to tie the game with 1:33 left in regulation.

Benn, who grew up in Victoria on nearby Vancouver Island and was a surprise to make Dallas’ roster after an impressive preseason, drove hard to the far side of the net and tapped in a cross-crease feed from Ribeiro to tie it again.

Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows scored power-play goals to help the Canucks win their second straight game after losing their first three of the season.

The Canucks were playing their first game since losing top goal scorer Daniel Sedin four to six weeks because of a broken foot, but Henrik Sedin had two assists playing without his identical twin for the first time in two seasons.

Ribeiro opened the scoring on a power play, and Turco stopped 22 shots for the Stars through overtime only to lose his third shootout of the season.

Kesler tied it late in the first period with a wrist shot past Turco’s glove from atop the right circle and Burrows, promoted to the power play in place of Daniel Sedin, gave the Canucks the lead with 3:14 left in the second.

Burrows, who is usually left off the power play despite scoring a career-best 28 goals last season alongside Daniel and Henrik Sedin at even strength, showed a goal-scorers touch to the put the Canucks ahead late in the second.

Henrik Sedin’s pass from the right corner to Mikael Samuelsson at the left faceoff circle was quickly moved back to Burrows standing at the far post. But rather than trying to jam it in, Burrows waited as Turco skid toward him and swept the puck across the crease the other way before lifting it in.

It was a mixed bag for Vancouver’s new top line of Burrows, Henrik Sedin and Steve Bernier. They were on the ice when Richards tied the game, tucking a rebound around and behind Luongo at the end of a dominant Dallas shift, and again for Benn’s late tying goal. But they were also out when the Canucks took the lead back, working the puck to the front of the net for Mitchell’s goal.

Mitchell pinched in from the point to chip the loose puck through a crowded crease for his second goal of the season, one short of a single-season high for the stay-at-home defender who takes more pride in preventing goals.

Already missing Daniel Sedin, the Canucks also lost top all-around defenseman Sami Salo midway through the first period to an undisclosed injury. Dallas also got a scare when top defenseman Stephane Robidas left after getting hit in the face with a point shot in the first period. Robidas was back in the second, but gritty Stars forward Steve Ott also left in the first and did not return.

NOTES: Stars veteran Mike Modano hasn’t played since suffering a rib injury in the first game of the season, but is traveling with the team and working out on his own. … Dallas RW Jere Lehtinen played his first game this season after missing the first three with a groin injury. … Canucks RW Guillaume Desbiens was called up from the AHL after Daniel Sedin was hurt, and made his NHL debut on the third line.