Dallas dropped another overtime game, this time on Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena, as the Carolina Hurricanes stormed into town and yanked a 3-2 victory from the Stars in extended 3-on-3 play.
Both teams entered the contest in first place in their respective divisions (Central for Dallas and Eastern Metro for Carolina). The Hurricanes swept the regular season matchup against the Stars 2-0. Both losses came in overtime. Both game-winning goals came via Hurricane Martin Necas.
WHAT TO KNOW
— The two teams traded leads throughout the contest, with Dallas ultimately coming up with the short end of the stick. The Stars (28-13-9) earned a point in the OT loss and remained in first place in the Central over Winnipeg (31-17-1) by a two-point margin (65-63).
— Jason Robertson (33) and rookie Wyatt Johnston (13) each lit the lamp for Dallas on Wednesday. Johnston’s goal came in the opening frame to tie the game at one after Carolina netted a shorthanded goal two minutes earlier.
— Robertson’s goal, also in the first period, was crafty, as he slid a shot underneath Carolina goalie Frederik Anderson’s right blocker and skate. The score was the first and last lead for the Stars on the night. Both Dallas goals were unassisted.
BY THE NUMBERS
— Stars’ goalie Jake Oettinger allowed three scores in the game and dropped to 21-7-0 on the year with the loss. Carolina’s goals came from Sebastian Aho, Brent Burns, and Necas in extended play.
— Dallas drops to 13-5-5 at home this season.
WHO SAID
— “I think it’s just adjusting,” 19-year-old rookie Johnston said of playing in the NHL. “The coaches definitely help a ton, just kind of learning the tendencies of other teams and kind of what they like to do. So. Yeah, I mean, it’s all different from junior (hockey), where you get to see a ton of different kinds of styles of play and different players.”
— “I thought we battled hard, it was physical by both teams,” Luke Glendening said of the Carolina loss. “It’s two good teams going at it. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the two points.”
— “Of course, you want to put those in, but at the same time, you know, it’s good we are creating those chances,” Jani Hakanpaa said of missed goal opportunities.
NEXT UP
— The Stars host the New Jersey Red Devils (31-12-4) on Friday, January 27, starting at 7:30 p.m. The Dallas-Jersey tilt is the last game for the Stars before the NHL All-Star break. The team will next take the ice after the Red Devils on Friday when they welcome the Ducks to town on February 6.