Ducks let Stars get away in the third and pay for it in 6-2 loss

Dan Hamhuis opened Dallas’ five-goal third period with his first goal of the season on his 34th birthday, and the Stars beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Hamhuis tipped in Jamie Benn’s cross-ice pass on the power play at 5:41, tying it at 2. Adam Cracknell, Patrick Eaves and Benn then scored to drive Anaheim goaltender John Gibson from the game at 12:24, and Radek Faksa added an empty-netter at 13:57.

Dallas had lost six of eight. Anaheim was 6-1-1 in its last eight.

The Ducks outshot the Stars 36-27, but Antti Niemi made 34 saves to improve to 6-1-1 at home this season.

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry scored for the Ducks. Getzlaf assisted on Perry’s power-play goal.

Benn had a goal and two assists. His brother, Jordie Benn, and Tyler Seguin each had two assists.

Anaheim failed to score on two 5-on-3 power plays, but Perry got his seventh of the season 5 seconds after a two-man advantage ended in the third period.

Dallas killed a 5-on-3 situation for 1:09 in the first period. Niemi made four saves during the two-man advantage, one on Getzlaf’s slap shot from the blue line with Ryan Kesler hovering on the doorstep.

The Ducks killed the Stars’ only power-play chance in the first. Shortly after it ended, Perry had a breakaway but Niemi stopped his wrist shot with 36 seconds left in the period.

Dallas jumped in front at 13:22 of the second on Stephen Johns’ slap shot from the right point.

Anaheim tied it just over two minutes later. Rickard Rakell battled for possession behind the Stars’ goal. The loose puck went to Getzlaf, who chopped it into the left side of the net while skating through the left faceoff circle.