Stars Defense: Late Period Decisive in 3-1 Victory
Dallas ends a two-game skid with goals from Thomas Harley and Arttu Hyry to secure a 4-2-0 record during a six-game home stand.
By Allison Singh ·
The Dallas Stars defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night, securing a win that relied heavily on late-period production. Defenseman Thomas Harley scored with 0.2 seconds remaining in the first period, while Arttu Hyry added an empty-netter with 0.3 seconds left in regulation. These final-minute strikes capped a victory that snapped a two-game losing streak for Dallas.
Mikko Rantanen provided the opening goal for the Stars, tapping in a cross-crease backhand pass from Wyatt Johnston 33 seconds into a power play. That goal gave Rantanen his seventh of the season. The Stars extended their lead with Harley’s goal, which found a sliver of space between the netminder’s skate and the post. Columbus responded in the third period when Damon Severson scored at 6:21, roughly four minutes after Dallas successfully challenged a Valeri Nichushkin goal for offside.
Goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 25 of 26 shots for Dallas, improving his goals-against average to 1.69, which ranks fifth in the NHL. This performance marked a rebound from his previous two outings, in which he allowed seven goals. For Columbus, Jet Greaves stopped 14 shots. The Blue Jackets dropped their second consecutive game during a three-game road trip.
The win concludes a six-game home stand for the Stars, finishing with a 4-2-0 record. Two of those victories came against teams managed by former Dallas coaches: Rick Bowness of Columbus and Pete DeBoer of the New York Islanders. The Stars also extended their league-leading penalty kill streak to 28 consecutive successful units, dating back to October 13. Miro Heiskanen recorded two assists for Dallas.
Ivan Provorov made his season debut for Columbus after being placed on injured reserve on October 1. The Blue Jackets utilized 11 forwards and seven defensemen in the lineup. The teams are scheduled to play their other inter-conference game next Thursday in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets will host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. The Stars will travel to face the Washington Capitals on the same day.
Source: MySA
