The Dallas Stars played in two games this week. The Stars returned home to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and made a brief business trip to take on the Nashville Predators on Thursday. Here’s what you need to know.
Tuesday, February 13
The Dallas Stars welcomed the Carolina Hurricanes to the Metroplex on Tuesday before Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day. The Stars defeated the Hurricanes 4-2 at the American Airlines Center. Dallas improved to 33-14-6, while Carolina fell to 30-17-5.
Before Tuesday’s game, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer announced Evgenii Dadonov was sidelined indefinitely because of a lower-body fracture. Dadonov recorded just 8:35 of ice time in the Stars’ 3-2 win over the Canadiens last Saturday. Dadonov will be out for four to six weeks.
The Stars’ starting lineup featured Jani Hakanpää, Esa Lindell, Ty Dellandrea, Wyatt Johnston, Jamie Benn, and Jake Oettinger. Oettinger made 32 saves for a win. Meanwhile, Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves in a losing effort.
The Hurricanes dominated early, but the Stars drew first blood. Roope Hintz fired a wrist shot into the Hurricanes’ net for a 1-0 lead at 9:53 of the first period. Joe Pavelski collected the lone assist on Hintz’s 23rd of the season.
The Stars led the Hurricanes 1-0 at the end of the first period. Dallas trailed Carolina in shots, 12-8, after 20 minutes.
The Hurricanes wasted no time getting on the board to open the second-period scoring. Just 13 seconds into the second period, Jordan Staal fired a shot into the Stars’ net to tie the game 1-1. Seth Jarvis and Jordan Martinook collected the assists on Staal’s seventh of the season.
Mason Marchment unleashed a snapshot to extend his point streak to seven games and give the Stars a 2-1 lead at 5:04 of the second period. Nils Lundkvist and Matt Duchene collected the assists on Marchment’s 17th of the season.
The Hurricanes tied the game when Jesper Fast deflected a shot to even the score 2-2 at 15:16 of the second period. Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal collected the assists on Fast’s sixth of the season.
The game was tied, 2-2, at the end of two periods. Dallas trailed Carolina in shots, 25-16, through 40 minutes.
The Stars opened the third-period scoring. Jason Robertson fired a wristshot past the Hurricanes’ goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov to help the Stars regain the lead 3-2 at 4:35 of the third period. Joe Pavelski and Jani Hakanpää collected the assists on Robertson’s 18th of the season.
The Hurricanes have been struggling with the 6-on-5, which allowed the Stars to get a late goal. Matt Duchene extended the Stars’ lead to 4-2 with an empty net goal at 17:35 of the third period. Jani Hakanpää collected the lone assist on Duchene’s 19th of the season.
The Stars challenged the Hurricanes’ play for goaltender interference at 18:28 of the third period. After further review, the officials waived Carolina’s goal. The score remained 4-2 in favor of Dallas. As a result, Stars fans erupted in cheers.
The Stars beat the Hurricanes 4-2 at the end of regulation. Dallas trailed Carolina in shots, 34-23, after 60 minutes.
Thursday, February 15
The Dallas Stars traveled to the Music City to take on the Nashville Predators Thursday night — and so did the players’ mothers for the Stars’ annual Moms’ Trip. The Stars blew out the Predators 9-2 at Bridgestone Arena. Dallas improved to 34-14-6, while Nashville fell to 27-25-2.
The Stars’ starting lineup featured Jani Hakanpää, Sam Steel, Radek Faksa, Esa Lindell, Craig Smith, and Jake Oettinger. Oettinger made 20 saves before exiting the game. Scott Wedgewood made seven saves in relief of Oettinger. Meanwhile, Predators goaltender Kevin Lankinen made 18 saves before making an exit. Juuse Saros made 14 saves in relief of Lankinen.
The Stars wasted no time getting on the board and scoring goals. Sam Steel fired a wrist shot on the game’s first shot for a 1-0 lead and his seventh goal of the season just 35 seconds into the first period.
Matt Duchene fired a wrist shot to score against his former NHL team and help the Stars to a 2-0 lead at 4:27 of the first period. Mason Marchment collected the lone assist on Duchene’s 20th of the season.
Craig Smith fired a wrist shot into the Predators’ net to make it a 3-0 game at 12:31 of the first period. Sam Steel collected the lone assist on Smith’s seventh of the season.
Wyatt Johnston fired a wrist shot from the crease to give the Stars a 4-0 lead at 15:53 of the first period. Ty Dellandrea and Thomas Harley collected the assists on Johnston’s 16th of the season.
The Stars took a commanding 4-0 lead at the end of the first period. Dallas dominated Nashville in shots, 18-1, after 20 minutes.
The Stars opened the second-period scoring. Miro Heiskanen fired a wrist shot to help the Stars to a 5-0 lead at 4:40 of the second period. Wyatt Johnston and Ryan Suter collected the assists on Heiskanen’s sixth of the season.
The Predators finally got on the board but had their work cut out for them. Cole Smith fired a wrist shot into the Stars’ net to cut the lead to 5-1 at 9:50 of the second period. Michael McCarron and Alexandre Carrier collected the assists on Smith’s sixth of the season.
After Cole Smith was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, Dallas bounced back. Tyler Seguin capitalized on the man’s advantage with a wristshot to extend the Stars’ lead to 6-1 at 10:51 of the second period. Wyatt Johnston and Matt Duchene collected the assists on Seguin’s 20th of the season.
Tommy Novak cut the Stars’ lead to 6-2 with a backhand shot at 11:21 of the second period. Gustav Nyquist collected the lone assist on Novak’s 11th of the season.
Matt Duchene struck again with a backhand shot to extend the Stars’ lead to 7-2 at 19:47 of the second period. Tyler Seguin and Ryan Suter collected the assists on Duchene’s 21st of the season and second of the game.
The Stars led 7-2 at the end of two periods. Dallas outshot Nashville 33-22 through 40 minutes.
The Stars struck first to open the third-period scoring. Ty Dellandrea ripped a slap shot to expand the Stars’ lead to 8-2 at 3:50 of the third period. Jason Robertson and Ryan Suter collected the assists on Dellandrea’s second of the season.
Michael McCarron was handed a double minor for roughing against Stars captain Jamie Benn and a ten-minute misconduct for misconduct against Benn. Wyatt Johnston capitalized on the man advantage to put the game out of reach, 9-2, at 8:50 of the third period. Tyler Seguin collected the lone assist on Johnston’s 17th of the season and second of the game.
The Stars finished the game with a 9-2 win over the Predators in regulation. Dallas outshot Nashville 41-29 after 60 minutes.
Up Next
The Dallas Stars will return home to host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Central.
