The Dallas Stars could hardly have asked for a better way to finish the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule than to tear through a three-in-four gauntlet of games against quality opponents than three straight regulation wins with a combined goal differential of 16-5.
The President's Trophy race leading Stars (26-7-2, 54 points) saved the best for last. Lindy Ruff's squad dismantled the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks with an impressive 4-0 shutout victory at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night. Showing no signs of fatigue despite the busy recent schedule, Dallas generated a 17-3 shot advantage in the third period of the game to complete the performance. The Hawks were also held to three shots in the first period.
Former Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi recorded a 20-save shutout. Jason Spezza the Stars ahead 1-0 midway through the second period with a power play goal. Dallas then blitzed Chicago for three goals in a lopsided third period that saw ex-Blackhawk Patrick Sharp score on the period's opening shift, Colton Sceviour add to the lead less than three minutes later and Mattias Janmark open a four-goal lead in the final 5:24 of the game.
Dallas was the better club in all manpower situations. On special teams, the Stars were 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. Corey Crawford stopped 28 of 32 shots in a losing cause for the Blackhawks.
The Stars now have a three-night schedule break overlapping with the NHL's leaguwide Christmas hiatus. The team returns to action on Saturday and Sunday, starting on the road in the front end of a home-and-home set with the St. Louis Blues. The Stars hold an eight-point lead over the second-place Blues in the NHL Central Division race and are now up by 10 points over third-place Chicago. The Stars also hold a game in hand on both clubs.