Miro Heiskanen broke the tie with 5 minutes and 28 seconds remaining, and the Dallas Stars secured their fourth straight win by defeating the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on Sunday night.
Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Matt Duchene also scored goals, with Duchene adding an empty-netter with 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the game. Duchene also contributed with two assists to help the Stars stay on par with the Colorado team for the top spot in the Central Division.
Both teams now have 97 points after the Avalanche also won on Sunday. Jake Oettinger, the Stars’ goaltender, made 26 saves during the game. Clayton Keller netted his 30th goal for Arizona, marking his fifth consecutive game with a goal, a personal best for him.
He now joins Keith Tkachuk (1996-99) and Jeremy Roenick (1999-2001) as Coyotes players with consecutive 30-goal seasons. Nick Bjugstad also found the net for the Coyotes.
During the third period, Arizona had a two-man advantage while the score was tied, but Dallas successfully defended against it, eventually completing a season sweep of the Coyotes. This victory adds to Dallas’s recent success, as they have now won nine of their last 11 games.
Stars coach Peter DeBoer praised Oettinger’s performance during the crucial penalty kill, highlighting it as a turning point in the game. Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny shared similar sentiments, acknowledging the missed opportunity during the power play.
Connor Ingram, the Coyotes’ goaltender, made 31 saves, but it wasn’t enough to extend Arizona’s three-game home winning streak. Despite the team’s effort, Arizona coach Tourigny expressed frustration over the result, particularly considering the hard work put in by the players.
Cameron Crotty made his NHL debut for the Coyotes, contributing to the team’s defensive efforts with two blocked shots in his 10 minutes of play.
