The Dallas Stars concluded the brief, two-game homestand with a home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night. The Stars defeated the Blue Jackets 5-3 in a back-and-forth game at the American Airlines Center.
The Stars’ starting lineup featured Jani Hakanpää, Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Thomas Harley, Jason Robertson, and Jake Oettinger. Oettinger made 22 saves for a victory, while Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves in a losing effort.
The Stars wasted no time getting on the board first. Thomas Harley fired a wrist shot into the Blue Jackets’ net for an early 1-0 lead just 27 seconds into the opening period. Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz collected the assists on Harley’s second of the season. Hintz became the fastest Dallas Star to reach 250 NHL points in only 318 games.
But the Blue Jackets got on the board and took the lead to end the second period. Dmitri Voronkov scored the game-tying goal on a deflection to tie the game 1-1 at 4:37. Cole Sillinger and Kent Johnson collected the assists on Voronkov’s first of the season. Damon Severson hammered in a slap shot to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead at 13:47. Adam Fantilli and Zach Werenski got the assists on Severson’s first of the season.
The Stars trailed 2-1 to the Blue Jackets after 20 minutes. Dallas outshot Columbus 9-7.
The Stars’ speed increased to start the second period. Roope Hintz tipped in Jason Robertson’s shot, which went into the Blue Jackets’ net and tied the game 2-2 at 5:52. Robertson and Nils Lundqvist collected the assists on Hintz’s third of the season.
Thanks to a wrist shot, Mason Marchment scored four goals this season, but two — including the one in the second period — were reversed. Marchment nearly notched his first of the season, and the Stars almost regained the lead, but Marchment’s go-ahead goal was called off due to an offside. The game remained tied at two apiece midway through the second.
The game was tied 2-2 after 40 minutes. Dallas outshot Columbus 19-15.
The Stars regained the lead early in the third period and didn’t really look back. Matt Duchene pounced on a rebound — and a slap shot — to help the Stars to a 3-2 lead at 2:49. Ryan Suter and Mason Marchment collected the assists on Duchene’s first of the season. Evgenii Dadonov fired a wrist shot into the Blue Jackets’ net to extend the Stars’ lead to 4-2 at 12:39. Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn got the assists on Dadonov’s second of the season. Wyatt Johnston added a wrist shot goal to expand the Stars’ lead to 5-2 at 16:21. Evgenii Dadonov and Jamie Benn were awarded the assists on Johnston’s third of the season.
The Blue Jackets came close late in the third period. Sean Kuraly scored on a backhand shot to make it a two-goal game, 5-3, at 17:10. Ivan Provorov and Mathieu Olivier collected the assists on Kuraly’s second of the season.
The Stars beat the Blues Jackets 5-3. Dallas outshot Columbus 33-25 after a full 60 minutes.
Notes
Stars’ pregame lineup
Jason Robertson – Roope Hintz – Joe Pavelski
Jamie Benn- Wyatt Johnston – Evgenii Dadonov
Mason Marchment – Matt Duchene – Tyler Seguin
Ty Dellandrea – Radek Faksa – Craig Smith
Ryan Suter – Miro Heiskanen
Esa Lindell – Nils Lundkvist
Thomas Harley – Jani Hakanpää
Jake Oettinger
Today’s quote
Stars head coach Pete DeBoer told the media, “Let’s be honest … we’re 4-1-1, but there’s a couple of games in there we could’ve lost earlier in the year … We probably deserved to lose, but our goalie bailed us out, or we found a way to win. I think this was coming. It was inevitable.”
Miscellaneous
The Stars held their first community practice of the season at Children’s Health StarCenter on Saturday, October 28.
Up Next
The Stars will hit the road for a three-game road trip that starts Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Central against the Calgary Flames.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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