THREE STARS

1. Cory Schneider, Canuck. Backup goalie looked like franchise goalie. Finished with 37 saves, many of them stupendous.

2. Viktor Stalberg, Blackhawks. One goal, seven shots and a threat all game.

3. Daniel Sedin, Canucks. Not a great night but a great finish. One goal, five shots and the OT winner, moving him into first place in team OT-goal history with 10.

PIVOTAL POINT – After being soundly out-played for all of the second period and early in the third – and giving up the lead – the Canucks answered Viktor Stalberg's go-ahead goal with a clutch breakaway tally by rookie Cody Hodgson less than four minutes later.

BY THE NUMBERS – Blackhawk winger Marian Hossa saw his nine-game point streak come to an end. It was tied for third longest in the league this season... Henrik Sedin ended his four-game pointless streak with his feed to Daniel on the OT winner ... The Canucks scored the game's opening goal for the 34th time in 50 games... The Hawks fell to 4-0-3 when tied after two period while the Canucks improved to 7-4-0 when even after 40 minutes.

SAVE(S) OF THE NIGHT – With the score tied 1-1 in the second period, Cory Schneider mishandled the puck behind his net and surrendered it to new Blackhawk Brendan Morrison, who had the entire top half of the net with Schneider swimming madly to recover. Schneider somehow manged to fling his left arm in the air and get a piece of Morrison's shot. Hawks goalie Corey Crawford nearly matched that stop in overtime with a brilliant glove save on Henrik Sedin.

IN THE CIRCLE – Blackhawk centre Dave Bolland won the game's opening draw and then lost eight in a row to finish the first period 1-for-9. Overall, he was 6-for-20. Two Canuck centremen, Max Lapierre and Manny Malhotra, had perfect opening periods, Lapierre going 5-for-5 and Malhotra 4-for-4. Lapierre finished 9-for-12 and Malhottra 6-for-7. The Canucks dominated the faceoff dot throughout, going 42-for-62, or 68 per cent.

WHERE'S THE HATE? In their two visits to Rogers Arena this season, the Blackhawks have given the Canuck zero power-play opportunities, obviously a lesson learned from the Nov. 6th game in Chicago when the Canucks went 5-for-6 with the man advantage and won 6-2.

DID YOU NOTICE? The Canucks allowed 39 shots on goal, marking the sixth time in their last seven games they have given up 30-plus shots – and one of those was 40-plus (actually 41) against the L.A. Kings just three games ago. Can you say the boys are playing it a little loose?

epap@vancouversun.com

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