It wasn't exactly a statement game, but the Dallas Stars skated off with two desperately needed points after tying the Minnesota Wild, 1-1, and then prevailing in a shootout after a successful late-game penalty kill got the game to overtime.
Kari Lehtonen was tremendous in goal for the Stars, who honored Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Ed Belfour in a pregame ceremony. The big Finn turned back 33 shots during the game and two of three in the shootout to backstop his team on a night where he got precious little goal support. In the shootout, Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn scored on Niklas Backstrom while only Minnesota's Matt Cullen was able to beat Lehtonen. The Dallas goalie nailed down the win with a glove save on Jared Spurgeon.
In regulation, Mike Ribeiro's late second-period power play goal broke a scoreless tie, On the play, Alex Goligoski's slap shot from the point hit the end board and ricocheted off the end boards directly to Ribeiro in the lower circle. With Backstrom still down in the crease, Ribeiro took a long stride into the slot and fired a high wrist shot over the goalie.
The tally was Ribeiro's 11th goal of the season. He now has three points (one goal, two assists) in the four games since he returned to the lineup after missing six games with a sprained MCL. Goligoski’s assist on the play gave him his fifth points (one goal, four assists) in his last five games.
Unfortunately, the Stars were unable to nurse the skinny lead beyond the 5:18 mark of the third period. Kyle Brodziak's 15th goal of the season knotted the game, but Lehtonen kept the game right there and enabled his team to end the night by moving up in the standings on a night where they were outplayed for significant stretches.
The Stars now sit ninth in the Western Conference with 56 points, two points behind the eighth-seeded Wild. Dallas has now won 15 consecutive home games against the Wild, dating back to March 21, 2003.
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