Kiefer Sherwood set an NHL record three weeks ago by accumulating the most hits in a season. He helped the Vancouver Canucks made history on Tuesday night with a big comeback in the final minute of regulation.
Sherwood scored with 1:16 left in overtime after the Canucks became the first team in league history to overcome a three-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation and go on to win the game when they beat the Dallas Stars 6-5.
“Says a lot about the group,” said Sherwood, who took Conor Garland’s pass from behind Dallas’ net in the low slot and fired a shot past Casey DeSmith. “`Gar’ just made an absolute crazy play. Kind of felt like slow motion, got his head up and put it on my tape.”
The Canucks trailed 3-0 after two periods and then 5-2 as the final minute of the third approached. The comeback helped them avoid elimination from the playoff race one year after winning a division title.
“That’s got to be one up there,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “I loved the fight, obviously, in the third period. To do that is a character win for a lot of guys, for the team.
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“My son texted me — ‘You looked like last year’s team in the third.”‘
Jake DeBrusk and Victor Mancini scored power-play goals to pull to 3-2 less than five minutes into the third. However, Mavrik Bourque gave Dallas breathing room scoring with 2:45 left in the third and Mikael Granlund added an empty-net goal 24 seconds later to restore the three-goal lead.
“It’s 5-2 whatever time was left,” Tocchet said. “It looks like we’re going to lose. And we score a goal, and you see the fight. There wasn’t guys hanging their heads.”
Aatu Raty scored the first 6-on-5 goal with exactly 1 minute left in regulation. Pius Suter made the score 5-4 with 30 seconds remaining, and Suter scored again with 5.2 seconds left to tie it.
Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen was penalized for slashing 46 seconds into the extra period. The Stars killed the penalty, and the teams played 4 on 4 instead of the usual 3-on-3 in overtime until Sherwood ended the game.
The Stars would have clinched at least second place in the Central Division with a win. They’re four points behind first-place Winnipeg going into Thursday’s showdown with the Jets at home.
“I’ve won and lost a lot of games in this league. I don’t think I’ve ever lost one in that fashion before,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said.
Stars veteran captain Jamie Benn, who grew up about 70 miles west of Vancouver in Victoria, British Columbia, called the loss “unacceptable.”
“That game should have been wrapped up,” Benn said. “We should have found a way to get it done there.”
