John Gibson and Ducks can’t hold back fast-starting Stars in loss
Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists to surpass 300 career points, Chris Tanev scored his first goal for Dallas and the Stars extended their winning streak to four games with a 6-2 victory over the Ducks on Friday night at Honda Center.
Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski each had a goal and an assist for the Central Division-leading Stars, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Dallas also had three power-play goals and is six of 12 with the man advantage in its last three games.
Coach Peter DeBoer was pleased with his team’s quick start, especially after Tuesday night’s 7-6 overtime win at San Jose where the Stars overcame a three-goal deficit in the final seven minutes of regulation.
Alex Killorn scored the tiebreaking goal and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves during the rebuilding Ducks’ win over the Senators on Wednesday in Anaheim.
“No one was happy with how that game went [on Tuesday], but we found a way to win,” DeBoer said. “We got a much better start tonight and much more solid in all areas.”
Radek Faksa and Mason Marchment also scored for Dallas. Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson each had a pair of assists. Heiskanen, who had four points against San Jose, is the first Dallas defenseman since John Klingberg in 2015 to have six points in a two-game span.
Jake Oettinger stopped 26 shots for his fifth win in his last six starts.
Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist, and Alex Killorn also scored for the Ducks. John Gibson made 30 saves but gave up at least six goals for the third time this season.
“They came out and were flying, and we weren’t ready for it. After that tornado ripped through us, we got back into a rhythm,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said.
The Stars three first-period goals came off deflections. Tanev, who was acquired from Calgary on Feb. 28, scored his second of the season 74 seconds into the game after his wrist shot from the point went off the stick of the Ducks’ Troy Terry in the slot and over Gibson’s shoulder.
It was a league-leading ninth time the Stars have scored in the first two minutes.
Dallas extended the lead with two goals in the final three minutes. Hintz tipped in Heiskanen’s power-play shot at 17:19 for his team-leading 26th goal to reach 300 points. Faksa then redirected Sam Steel’s shot in the crease with 1:04 remaining in the period to make it a three-goal advantage.
“We played well as a team and it was a good character win for us,” Hintz said.
The Stars’ other two power-play goals came on a one-timer by Benn at 5:31 of the second period to make it 4-0 and Pavelski putting it in after Gibson made a pad save on Hintz’s shot at 7:18 of the third.
Strome helped the Ducks avert the shutout 6:06 into the second period when he redirected Frank Vatrano‘s shot over Oettinger’s stick and blocker.
Up next for the Ducks: vs. the New York Islanders at Honda Center on Sunday.
