Defensive lapses and sub-par goaltending have proved costly during the Vancouver Canucks' longest losing streak of the season.

They'll try to clean things up and end the skid tonight when they host the Dallas Stars, who have won the last five meetings.

Catch all the action on TSN Radio 1040 in Vancouver starting at 5pm pt. 

Vancouver (18-10-2) was tied for first in the Western Conference on Dec. 4 but has since dropped four straight. The latest defeat came Saturday, when the Canucks gave up three goals in the first 6:46 and lost 5-1 at home to the New York Rangers.

Vancouver has limited opponents to one power-play goal on 15 chances during the slide, but it's been susceptible to giving up goals in spurts. The Canucks surrendered two goals in spans of fewer than two minutes twice in a 5-3 loss to Toronto on Dec. 6, then gave up three straight goals during an 8:05 stretch of a 4-3 overtime defeat in Ottawa on Dec. 7.

"There's no excuse for that. We know that we've got to be better than that," coach Willie Desjardins said. "Sometimes there's nights like this. They're never acceptable, but the only thing we can do is get better. We have no choice. The only choice we have is to get better."

Vancouver has allowed 17 goals during the losing streak and Ryan Miller has posted a 4.11 goals-against average in dropping four of his last five starts. Eddie Lack will be in net for the Canucks tonight.

"You're going to go through a season, you're going to have to find a way to dig out of things," Miller said. "This is our first opportunity to have to dig out of a hole that's a little deeper than usual."

Miller has allowed 4.35 goals per game in five straight losses to Dallas, the latest a 6-3 road defeat Oct. 21 that came despite the Canucks holding a 46-28 shot advantage. He was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 13 shots.

The Stars' Erik Cole scored twice in that game and has 12 goals and three assists in his last 10 meetings with Vancouver, though he has one goal in his last 14 games overall.

Dallas (11-13-5) was in danger of blowing another lead Saturday but held on for a 4-3 win over New Jersey, its second in three games. The Stars squandered a 2-0 edge by allowing two goals in the first 7:46 of the second period, but Trevor Daley and Shawn Horcoff scored to put Dallas up by 2 again entering the third.

The Stars, who led in 12 of their 18 losses, won despite being outshot 11-3 in the third period.

"That seemed to be the way it's been going, but we feel if we work hard, we're going to get results," Daley said. "Tonight was one of those games."

Tyler Seguin, who scored his 23rd goal to easily lead the league, has four goals and seven assists in his last five meetings with Vancouver.

The Stars are trying to end a four-game road losing streak as they open a three-game trip. They've allowed five power-play goals in 21 opportunities over their last four away from home.

"It really is one game at a time. Let's move on to the next one," coach Lindy Ruff told the team's official website. "... We've got to get back to playing good hockey on the road again."

Before its most recent victory in the series, Dallas had held Vancouver to one goal each time in the previous four wins.

Stars (27PTS) at Canucks (38PTS)

DAL is 1-0-0 vs VAN this season, winning at home
DAL has won 5 straight vs VAN
VAN (18-10-2):
0-3-1 past 4 games, 17GA, 0/12 on PP
2-2-1 past 5 home games, 10GF, 0/9 on PP
12-2-1 when scoring first
Hansen (2A) past 2GP
DAL (11-13-5):
2-1-0 past 3 games, all at home, 3/11 on PP
lost 4 straight on the road, 21GA, 1/12 on PP
Seguin (5G, 2A) 4 game PT streak
Cole (2G) vs VAN this season