The glass was half-full and half-empty for the Dallas Stars last night, as they were unable to hang onto a 2-0 lead and had to settle for one point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the host San Jose Sharks last night.
Goals by Jason Demers and Joe Pavelski erased the two-goal deficit and forced overtime. After a scoreless five-minute frame, the Stars went 0-for-5 in the skills competition phase, as none among Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley, Jamie Benn, Erik Cole and Ray Whitney were able to solve backup San Jose goaltender Alex Stalock. In regulation and overtime, Stalock stopped 44 of 46 shots.
Kari Lehtonen, who made 37 saves in regulation and overtime, stopped each of the first four shooters (Pavelski, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Dan Boyle) in the shootout. Finally, Joe Thornton notched the winning goal.
Whitney, who broke a 13-game goal drought with a two-goal effort against Colorado, got the Stars on the board first in the game. At the 4:48 mark of the first period, Whitney elevated a backhand shot that found the net. Shawn Horcoff earned the lone assist.
The Stars extended the lead to 2-0 at 4:47 of the middle frame. Alex Goligoski's shot from a tough angle on the right side wall deflected off a San Jose player and then off Antoine Roussel for Roussel's eight goal of the season. Alex Chiasson was credited with the other assist on the play.
Seven minutes after the Roussel goal, the Sharks began their comeback. Demers pinched up to the bottom of the right circle and blasted a one-timer off a Tyler Kennedy feed over Lehtonen's blocker.
The Stars took a 2-1 lead into the third period. At the 4:24 mark, San Jose drew even. Pavelski pulled a puck off the walls, cut in and fired a tricky backhander past Lehtonen. Thornton logged his 32nd assist of the season on that play.
Dallas went 0-for-2 on the power play in this game. San Jose went 0-for-3.
The shootout defeat marked the Stars' fifth straight road loss in San Jose. The Sharks have only lost one game at home in regulation this season.
Before breaking for Christmas, the Stars are in Los Angeles on Monday to take on the Kings.
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