2007 Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 7 vs. Stars

Lore & Background

The 2007 series against the Stars was a grueling, defensive war. The Canucks had taken a 3-1 series lead, only to see Dallas rally with two straight wins, including a double-overtime thriller in Game 6. That set up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Vancouver, where the stakes could not have been higher. The Canucks were seeking their first playoff series victory since 2004, and the city was electric with anticipation. Game 7 was a masterclass in tension. Both teams played tight, disciplined hockey, with scoring chances at a premium. Roberto Luongo was spectacular, making key saves to keep the Stars at bay. The game remained scoreless until the second period, when the Canucks broke through. But the Stars answered early in the third, tying the game 1-1 and setting up a frantic final frame. With the game tied and time winding down, the Canucks' top line—the Sedin twins and their winger—took control. In the final minute, with the Stars pressing, a rush led to Henrik Sedin firing a shot that beat Stars goalie Marty Turco. The goal, coming at 19:03 of the third period, sent GM Place into a frenzy. An empty-net goal sealed the 4-1 win, but it was Henrik's tally that became iconic, a moment that defined the resilience of that Canucks team.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with a nervous energy, a sound that was part hope, part dread. The scoreboard read 1-1, the clock ticked under a minute. Luongo had made a save, and the puck was on Mattias Öhlund's stick. He fired it up the boards, where Daniel Sedin collected it along the half-wall. Daniel spun, saw his brother Henrik cutting to the slot, and delivered a perfect pass. Henrik took the puck in stride, his eyes locked on Turco. He shifted his weight, released a wrist shot that seemed to hang in the air before it found the far side of the net, just inside the post. Henrik was mobbed by his teammates, while Luongo pumped his fist in the crease. The goal that broke the deadlock was also the goal that broke the Stars' spirit. The final horn sounded minutes later, and the ice was a sea of celebration—a moment of pure, unscripted joy for a city that had waited years for this.

Reader's Guide

The score is 1-1, the series is tied 3-3, and the crowd at GM Place is a wall of noise, every fan on their feet. With less than a minute left in the third period, the Canucks gain control in the neutral zone. Mattias Öhlund passes to Daniel Sedin along the right-wing boards. Daniel skates toward the faceoff dot, drawing a defender, then slides a pass across the slot to his brother Henrik, who is cutting toward the net. Henrik takes the puck in full stride, fakes a slap shot to freeze Turco, then snaps a wrist shot that zips past the goalie's glove and tucks inside the far post. The red light blazes, and the building detonates. It's a goal that ends a series, silences a decade of doubt, and cements the Sedins' legacy as playoff performers. The Stars, stunned, cannot recover, and an empty-netter seals the 4-1 victory. For Vancouver, it's a night that proves sometimes one perfect pass and one perfect shot are all it takes.

Did You Know?

• This was the first playoff series win for the Canucks since 2004, when they defeated the Calgary Flames in the first round.
• The winning goal by Henrik Sedin was his first career playoff game-winning goal—and it came with just 57 seconds left on the clock.
• The series featured three overtime games (Games 1, 5, and 6), making it one of the most tightly contested first-round matchups in Canucks history.