A funny thing happened to the Dallas Stars in route to their third straight disappointing loss to a top Western Division opponent and fifth straight defeat at home. They won.
Despite being outplayed by the Anaheim Ducks for the majority of the opening two periods Tuesday night's nationally televised game at the American Airlines Center, the Stars pulled out the game with a five-goal barrage in the third period.
Down 2-1 aft the second intermission and struggling for much of the early part of the game to generate quality chances, the Stars exploded for three goals in a span of 53 seconds. Just like that, the one-goal deficit was transformed into a two-goal lead. From there, the Stars went on to win by a 6-3 count.
Dallas managed to pull out the win without the top line of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Valeri Nichushkin contributing any points to effort. Additionally, number one netminder Kari Lehtonen (who got rough up in the 6-1 loss to St. Louis) was given the night off in favor of backup Dan Ellis. The veteran netminder made 28 saves in his first start since October 19.
On this night, the Stars' energy line was the unit that carried the biggest share of load offensively. Dallas got multi-point efforts from each member of the line of Antoine Roussel (two goals), Vernon Fiddler (two assists) and Ryan Garbutt (one goal, two assists). Cody Eakin, Stephane Robidas and ALex Chiasson (empty net goal) provided the other goals for Dallas.
At the 6:06 mark of the first period, the Ducks took a 1-0 lead. From point-blank range, Emerson Etem collected a centering pass from Daniel Winnik and beat Ellis.
The score held until 13:13 of the middle frame, when the Stars knotted the game at 1-1. On the play, moments after a Dallas power play expired, Fiddler threw the puck toward the net and it went in off Roussel's skate. There was no kicking motion. It was just a bit of self-made good fortune by going to the net.
The tied did not last until the second intermission. With 35.1 seconds left in the frame, Nick Bonino got to the slot and converted an Andrew Cogliano feed to put Anaheim ahead, 2-1.
The Stars were stymied for the first five minutes of the third period. Then the floodgates opened.
First, at 5:25, Eakin beat Jonas Hiller from the slot to re-tie the game at 2-2. On the very next shift, 25 seconds after the Eakin goal, Robidas found the net from the point to put the Stars ahead by a 3-2 count. Twenty-eight seconds after the go-ahead goal, the Stars got some insurance. Garbutt outhustled Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler to a loose puck and then snapped a wrist shot past Hiller.
At the 12:08 mark of the third period, Roussel extended the lead to a three-goal cushion. The Ducks finally mustered a response with 6:35 left in regulation, as Dustin Penner collected a power play goal. By then, however, time was running out on the Ducks.
Anaheim pulled Hiller for an extra attacker in the final two minutes. With 59 second left in the game, Chiasson sealed the 6-3 final with an empty net goal.
The Stars’ schedule is not about to get any easier after Thanksgiving. On Friday, the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks make their way to Big D.
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