DALLAS - As showcases go, it could scarcely have gone any better for Cory Schneider. For the Vancouver Canucks? Not so much.

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome (L) and Dallas Stars left wing Brenden Morrow battle for the puck as goalie Cory Schneider sits in net during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Dallas, Texas November 6, 2009.

Photograph by : Reuters

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Canucks coach Alain Vigneault's risky goaltending decision turned out to be the least of his problems Friday as Vancouver was overwhelmed by the faster, fresher, sharper Dallas Stars despite a brilliant game by Schneider.

The minor-league call-up, chosen by Vigneault to start ahead of sizzling Andrew Raycroft, made 45 saves but received no help from teammates until the final 12 minutes of a 2-1 loss to the Stars.

The Canucks had won 5-2 Thursday night in Minnesota, where Raycroft stopped 28 of 30 shots to maintain the best goals-against average in the National Hockey League. But with back-to-back games and injured No. 1 goalie Roberto Luongo preparing to return from a broken rib, Vigneault chose to give Schneider a game.

If nothing else, Schneider boosted his confidence and trade value before a likely return next week to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose.

After allowing three goals in one period in his only appearance since Luongo was injured, Schneider admitted it was time for him to show something at the NHL level.

He was the best goalie in the AHL last season and is considered one of the best netminding prospects outside the NHL. But in an eight-game Canuck trial last season, Schneider was just 2-4-1 with a 3.38 goals-against average and .877 save percentage.

"There's stuff I'm working out, just trying to sort out technically and mentally," Schneider, 23, said before the game. "It's just something you accrue over time. It's not something you pick up right away. Obviously, you need to show some results eventually and show some progress."

He made up for lost time Friday.

When Schneider spring-loaded a rebound on the first soft shot he faced, it seemed it might be an awful night for the Canucks. It was, but not for Schneider.

He made 22 saves in the first period alone, several of them difficult and one of them off Canuck defenceman Sami Salo, who accidentally - we're pretty sure - fired a hard wrist shot on Schneider as he tried to clear the puck late in the period.

Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome didn't score, but got an assist when the Stars' finally beat Schneider at 8:05 of the second period. Rome, deemed the lesser of two liabilities these days when it comes to he and veteran defenceman Mathieu Schneider, cleared the puck around directly to Stars forward Loui Eriksson, who found Brad Richards wide open in the slot. Richards scored past Schneider's left shoulder.

After several more sieges in the Vancouver zone, the Stars made it 2-0 on a power play at 3:50 of the third period when Jamie Benn bobbled the puck to Brenden Morrow, who had an open net. Shots were 42-18 for the Stars at that point.

Against odds and flow, Canuck Mason Raymond scored on a rebound at 8:14 when Stars goalie Marty Turco coped poorly with Kevin Bieksa's sharp-angle shot.

Turco made amends during two late Canuck power plays, somehow snaring Salo's rocket blast from 35 feet on Vancouver's best chance to get a point it didn't earn.