Heading into last night's game with the Edmonton Oilers at the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Stars were in dire straights. Losers of six consecutive games in regulation, the Stars urgently needed something positive by which they could restore shaken confidence and calm frazzled nerves.
In both the first and second periods, the Stars used early goals as a springboard to building a lead en route to a 5-2 win.
Erik Cole opened the scoring just 14 seconds after the opening faceoff on what Dallas color commentator Daryl Reaugh appropriately described as an "ambush" of the Edmonton zone. After Edmonton briefly tied the game on a nice passing hookup between Taylor Hall and pinching defenseman Justin Schultz, Dallas responded with an even strength goal by Ryan Garbutt scored from the crease after Ray Whitney maneuvered the puck into scoring position. That was supplemented by a sniper's power play goal by Jamie Benn to establish a 3-1 advantage midway through the first period.
At 1:10 of the middle stanza, Cody Eakin extended the Stars' lead to 4-1. On a chip-and-chase worked to perfection, Antoine Russel outworked Justin Schultz for the puck in the corner and then found a wide-open Eakin going to the net on the other side. Garbutt earned the secondary assist.
Edmonton's Sam Gagner reduced the deficit to two goals midway through the period on a power play goal scored from close range. On the Gagner goal, the sometimes unorthodox Kari Lehtonen (31 saves) ended up turned around in the crease with his back to the puck as the Oilers outnumbered the Stars' penalty killers.
From there, Lehtonen would slam the door the rest of the way.
Dallas carried the two-goal lead into the final minute of regulation. With the Edmonton net vacated for an extra attacker, Stars defenseman Trevor Daley knocked home an empty netter from the red line with 39 seconds left in the game. Garbutt earned an assist to complete a three-point night.
Edmonton goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov (25 saves) did not get much help from the skaters in front of him. However, the Russian veteran also did himself no favors on two of the Dallas goals by taking himself way out position and leaving Cole and Garbutt with tap-in goals.
Benn's goal, scored from the left circle off a perfect pass from Seguin up high near the right point, was a thing of beauty. It was a perfectly placed wrist shot.
The Stars are back in action on Thursday. The defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins come to Big D for 7:30 p.m. showdown at the American Airlines Center. Boston and Dallas have a history of playing chippy games against one another in their infrequent meetings, so I would not be surprised if this is a physical game with its share of after-the-whistle activities.
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