The Vancouver Canucks took control of their Western Conference quarter-final series with a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

Trevor Linden scored the game-winning goal with less than six minutes remaining, giving Vancouver a 3-1 series lead.

Stars winger Niklas Hagman, bottom, crashes into Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo on Tuesday night during Game 4 of the Western Conference quarter-final at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Canucks can wrap up their best-of-seven NHL series when both clubs travel to Vancouver for Game 5 on Thursday (CBC, 10 p.m. ET).

Both goaltenders kept their respective teams in Tuesday's game with some brilliant play in Dallas. The Canucks' Roberto Luongo made 26 saves on the night, while the Stars' Marty Turco stopped 27 shots.

The Stars have now lost six straight home playoff games at American Airlines Center, a streak that dates back to before the lockout.

Taylor Pyatt, Vancouver's Game 3 overtime hero, led the team with two assists.

Both teams failed to find the back of the net in the first 40 minutes despite several power-play opportunities.

Emerge from scoreless tie

The Canucks finally broke the scoreless drought on defenceman Mattias Ohlund's second goal of the post-season at 9:46 of the third period.

Ohlund located the puck in the slot after it caromed around the boards and blasted a shot over a sprawled Turco.

But the goal seemed to motivate the desperate Stars, who tied the game less than three minutes later.

After Vancouver forward Markus Naslund turned over the puck, defenceman Darryl Sydor took a cross-ice pass from Ladislav Nagy and fired a shot that beat Luongo to the short side.

The sudden scoring barrage continued at 14:29 on Linden's first goal of the series.

Turco stopped defenceman Willie Mitchell's initial shot, but Linden was at the side of the net to bang home the rebound.

Teams poor on power play

While Luongo will get most of the credit for Vancouver's win, it was Mitchell who prevented Dallas from getting the equalizer with less than three minutes remaining.

Stars centre Mike Ribeiro wired a shot that trickled through the legs of Luongo, but Mitchell instinctively cleared the puck away before it could completely slide past the goal-line.

Officials reviewed the play but maintained the puck did not cross the line.

"I would have gone nuts if it was called a goal," Mitchell said.

Added Linden: "Willie came to the bench and said it wasn't in. You always ask the guy who made the play. He's not going to lie to you."

Vancouver and Dallas also failed miserably on the power play, going a combined 0-11 on the night.

The Stars blew a two-man advantage in the first period and Vancouver's futility was highlighted with a 4-on-3 chance in the second.

In total, the teams went scoreless during 19:42 of combined power-play time.

The Stars have an uphill climb to get back into the series. Only 20 of the 210 teams that have trailed 3-1 have come back to win it.  

"We can do it," Turco said. "We've played better when we've been down. I know you'll see more desperation out of us."

 

With files from the Associated Press