Playing in Los Angeles seems to bring out the best in the Dallas Stars. In their last eight games at the Staples Center, including last night's 2-0 shutout victory, the Stars enjoy a 6-1-1 record against the Kings. With the win, the Stars concluded a successful mini road-trip with back-to-back wins on the heels of a seven-game winless skid. Overall, Dallas is 5-3-0 on the road but just 1-3-4 at home.
Kari Lehtonen came up big for the Stars against the Kings, turning back all 27 shots fired on his net.
In the first period, Lehtonen denied Dwight King on a partial breakaway. The big Finn made perhaps his most spectacular save of the season in the second period. With 6:43 left in the middle frame, Lehtonen robbed LA's Jarret Stoll with a glove save on what seemed to be a sure-fire goal from point blank range. Lehtonen also got a little help at one early game juncture from checking center Vernon Fiddler, who blocked a shot by LA's Jamie McBain with a wide open net staring at the Kings' defenseman.
Goals from Ryan Garbutt in the first period and Jason Spezza near the midway point of the game were enough for Lehtonen on this night. Martin Jones stopped 25 of 27 shots in a losing cause for LA.
Garbutt, who scored the game-winning goal against the Coyotes on Tuesday with the Stars shorthanded late in the third period, notched his third goal of the season at 13:13 of the opening period. His goal happened shortly after Lehtonen stoned King. Rushing the puck end-to-end from behind his own net, Garbutt was denied by Jones on his initial shot but reclaimed the long rebound and scored from near the left circle for an unassisted goal that gave Dallas a 1-0 lead.
The Stars, who went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 0-for-4 on the power play, killed two penalties in the opening period (including a Garbutt boarding minor prior to his goal) to take their one-goal lead to intermission. Dallas outshot Los Angeles by a 12-8 margin in the first period. Much of the advantage came early, as Dallas enjoyed a territorial edge and registered eight of the game's first 11 shots.
In the second period, the Stars had a goal disallowed at the 7:20 mark. Jamie Benn, who entered the game with just one point (an assist in Saturday's loss to San Jose) in his last five games and eight games removed from his last goal, had his would-be goal disallowed. It was ruled the puck had gone out of play immediately prior to Benn scoring.
Fifty-three seconds after play resumed, the Stars had a 2-0 lead that counted. On the play, Benn dished the puck cross-ice to Jason Spezza at the top of the left circle. Finding room, Spezza skated into the left slot and snapped a shot past Jones for his third goal of the season. Tyler Seguin, who carried the puck over the blueline and passed to Benn, earned the secondary helper for his 10th assist of the season.
Lehtonen took care of the rest. The Stars were outshot 14-7 in the second period and then limited LA to five shots in the third period to skate off with the shutout victory.
Defenseman John Klingberg, who played a very solid game in Arizona in his NHL debut, was even better last night night in Los Angeles. The mobile Swede logged 23:46 of ice time (including 2:50 worth of power play time), dished out one hit and came within a whisker of scoring his first NHL goal. Early in the first period, Klingberg rang a shot attempt off the goal post. The rookie was selected the game's third star.
The Stars got center Cody Eakin back in the lineup last night after a three-game absence due to an upper body injury. Eakin struggled on faceoffs (8-for-21, 38 percent) but otherwise chipped in 16:39 worth of quality ice time over 25 shifts.
The injury bug bit the Stars again last night. Right winger Patrick Eaves left the game with a lower-body injury on his 10th shift of the night and did not return to the game. In the meantime, struggling Ales Hemsky (zero goals, one assist, minus-seven in 15 games) was a semi-healthy scratch. Newly acquired Travis Moen, who is getting his work permits in order, should be able to join the Stars lineup for Saturday's home game against the Minnesota Wild.
The Kings won't have to wait too long for their crack at revenge for last night's home ice loss to the Stars. The defending Stanley Cup champions will be in Dallas on Nov. 22.