Photo Credit : THE CANADIAN PRESS / AP-Tony Gutierrez
The Dallas Stars hit a season-high goals-against score against the Calgary Flames tonight at American Airlines Center, losing 7-4 despite an early lead, a 4-2 lead at the end of the second period and a promising two-goal performance by center Wyatt Johnston. It was the first time in six games between the two teams that a victory would be decided by more than one goal.
In contrast to the first meeting between these two teams this season, Dallas kicked off scoring in the game just one minute and 13 seconds into the first period. Johnston beat Calgary defenseman Nikita Zadorov at the Dallas blue line and pushed the puck ahead through center ice and to Dallas captain Jamie Benn, who was waiting just inside the Flames zone. Benn passed the puck back to Johnston, who was advancing into the center of the Calgary zone. As Johnston reached the top of the right faceoff circle, he launched it toward Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom, just under the netminder’s elbow, and into the net.
Seven minutes later, the Flames evened up the score with a rebound off Stars goalie Jake Oettinger. Calgary left wing A.J. Greer skated the puck along the boards and into the Stars zone to the right of the Dallas goalie. He sent the puck to center Adam Ruzicka who pushed it ahead and toward the net, but lost control of the puck as it rolled off his stick. Calgary center Dillon Dube picked up the rolling puck and took a shot on Oettinger, who stopped the puck but wound up sitting in the crease in the process. Greer immediately picked up the rebound and shot it up and over the seated Oettinger.
Dallas responded just three minutes later, though. Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist held the puck in the Calgary zone as the Flames attempted to clear. Lundkvist passed to left wing Jason Robertson who skated the puck through the Calgary zone and pulled even with Markstrom before shooting it up and toward the Flames goalie. The puck bounced off the shoulder of Markstrom and into the top of the net, giving the Stars the 2-1 lead.
The Stars went on the first power play of the game with four minutes left in the period when Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson slashed Stars center Radek Faksa, but the Flames killed it off.
Just 43 seconds into the second period, the Flames tied the game again. Calgary center Elias Lindholm, left wing Andrew Mangiapane and center Yegor Sharangovich faced down Dallas defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter in a 3-on-2 rush into the Stars zone. Lindholm took the puck through neutral ice and passed it to Mangiapane just inside the Dallas blue line. Mangiapane passed it back to Lindholm who sent it backwards to Sharangovich. Sharangovich instantly sent the puck toward Oettinger and into the net.
Four minutes later, Johnston and Benn were back at it, though. Stars defenseman Thomas Harley cleared the puck from the Dallas zone to right wing Evgenii Dadonov in the neutral zone. Dadonov passed the puck to Benn who sent it ahead to Johnston as he sped into the Flames zone. Johnston shot the puck, ricocheted it off the post with a resounding “ping” and into the net to regain Dallas’ lead.
Dallas went on the power play for the second time just seven and a half minutes into the period when Flames center Mikael Backlund was sent to the penalty box for slashing Robertson. With 50 seconds left in the power play, Stars center Joe Pavelski gave Dallas the first two-goal lead of the game. Robertson, at the blue line, sent the puck to center Matt Duchene at the bottom of the faceoff circle to Markstrom’s left. Duchene sent the puck across the ice to Pavelski and Pavelski shot it into the net.
The remainder of the period was riddled with penalties. Calgary went on the power play with 10:32 left in the period when Dallas center Sam Steel hooked Andersson, but the Stars would kill it off.
Two minutes later, the Flames tightened up the score with yet another rush goal. Calgary defenseman Chris Tanev skated the puck into the Stars zone and passed it to Ruzicka in the middle of the zone. Ruzicka launched a wrist shot toward the net and behind Oettinger bringing the score to 4-3.
With 5:36 left in the period, Greer was sent to the box for high-sticking Heiskanen, but the power play was short-lived with Benn taking residence in the Stars penalty box 16 seconds later for high-sticking Backlund. Both penalties were killed off.
And with three minutes left in the period, Dallas defenseman Jani Hakanpää was called for interference against Sharangovich, but the Stars would kill it off, also.
The start of the third period looked just like the start of the previous two with Calgary center, and Plano native, Blake Coleman scoring the Flames tying goal just two minutes into the period. Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar took a shot from the Stars blue line that Benn attempted to halt in front of Oettinger. The puck bounced off Benn’s palm and dropped to the ice directly in front of Coleman who tipped it into the net.
Just 30 seconds later, the Flames would take their first lead of the game. Sharangovich took a shot from the Stars blue line that bounced off the glove of Oettinger with the rebound landing right in the path of Lindholm, who tapped the puck toward the Stars net and just under Oettinger, sliding the puck through the crease and across the goal line. Heiskanen sped in behind Oettinger in an attempt to swat the puck away, but it was for naught, putting the Flames up 5-4.
With 12:32 left in the period, Calgary took a two-goal lead when Flames center Connor Zary passed the puck from the left circle to Backlund, who skated behind Dallas center Ty Dellandrea through the middle of the zone and to the front of the net. Backlund tipped the pass up and into the net behind Oettinger.
Dallas pulled Oettinger from the net with 3:08 remaining in the game, and with 1:39 left, Calgary center Nazem Kadri scored the final goal after multiple defensive failures by the Stars in the Dallas zone. The moment was clearly frustrating for the Dallas roster, with both Benn and Heiskanen breaking their sticks against the Dallas goal.
The Stars hit the road again this week, traveling to Winnipeg on Tuesday to face the Jets for the second time this season.
Leave a Reply