Oilers’ Defense Dramatically Improves With Strong Penalty Kill And Intense Physical Play

The Oilers’ defense showed a dramatic improvement from allowing six goals in Game 1 to none in Game 2, leading to repeated questions about their defensive consistency. Captain Connor McDavid expressed some frustration with the ongoing scrutiny, emphasizing that the Oilers are a different, more defensively responsible team compared to previous years, and praised goalie Stuart Skinner’s strong performance.

A critical difference between the two games was Edmonton’s penalty kill, which had faltered in Game 1 but dominated in Game 2 by allowing only one power-play attempt from Dallas. Coach Kris Knoblauch credited this improvement for helping the team maintain control without needing to force plays. Additionally, the Oilers excelled in winning 50/50 puck battles, blocking 17 shots, and forcing 27 giveaways, highlighting their defensive intensity.

Skinner’s Saves And Team Defense Fuel Oilers’ Strong Lead And Playoff Success

Goalie Stuart Skinner made 25 saves, including a crucial stop on a breakaway, which was pivotal in maintaining the shutout. The Oilers’ offense contributed early goals by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Brett Kulak, and Connor Brown, building a comfortable 3-0 lead by the second period. Skinner acknowledged the team’s steady defensive growth, which he believes is key to playoff success.

Defenseman Jake Walman shared insights into the Oilers’ defensive approach, emphasizing relentless pressure and physicality to disrupt opponents who often use multiple scoring lines. McDavid reiterated the team’s commitment to solid defensive play, praising the collective buy-in from forwards and defensemen alike. He credited disciplined gap control and effective puck breakouts for their recent success, alongside Skinner’s reliable goaltending.

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Coaches Pete DeBoer and Kris Knoblauch are still leading their teams, so the playing styles haven’t changed much. Edmonton still relies on star players Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who both had 100-point seasons. Dallas continues to lean on young scorers like Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, and Jason Robertson, as well as experienced players like Tyler Seguin and team captain Jamie Benn.

“There’s a few different players playing the series obviously. But in a lot of ways, it’s very similar,” McDavid said Tuesday. “Same coach, same systems. … We haven’t changed much, they haven’t changed much.”

The same goalies from last year are starting again — Jake Oettinger for the Stars, now in their third straight Western final, and Stuart Skinner for the Oilers. Skinner had lost his starting spot earlier in these playoffs.

“There’s lots of things going to be similar,” Draisaitl said. “They know how we want to play, and we know how they want to play.”

Still, both teams have moved on from seven players who were part of last year’s series, which Edmonton won in six games.

One of the biggest changes is that Dallas now has Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund, both added through trades during the season, playing on the top line with Hintz.

Rantanen leads the NHL playoffs in scoring with 19 points (nine goals and 10 assists), just ahead of McDavid with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) and Draisaitl with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists). The Oilers now have more players helping out on offense, not just their two stars. This is their third trip to the West final in four years, after losing the Stanley Cup Final in seven games to Florida last season.

“They’ve got the two-headed monster, but just the depth like they brought in, (Trent) Frederic, (Corey) Perry, all those guys,” Oettinger said. “They’re first in the league in odd-man rushes, but now they’re also like getting to the net, getting traffic to the net. They’re not just kind of run-and-gun, which you need, the all-around game. From my perspective, I think just going to have to expect it all.”

Defenseman Cody Ceci, who came to Dallas from San Jose in a midseason trade, had been with the Oilers for the past three years. Veteran defenseman John Klingberg has played in 10 playoff games for Edmonton after playing only 11 regular-season games this year. He began his NHL career with Dallas and played there from 2015 to 2022.

Playoff scorers

With McDavid, Draisaitl, and Rantanen, this series includes three of the top playoff scorers in NHL history.

McDavid ranks third in average points per playoff game with 1.58 (40 goals, 94 assists in 85 games). Draisaitl is fifth at 1.46 (46 goals, 78 assists in 85 games). Rantanen, now in his first postseason with Dallas after seven with Colorado, is seventh at 1.28 (43 goals, 77 assists in 120 games).

Wayne Gretzky is the all-time leader with 1.84 points per game in 208 playoff games. He won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers during the 1980s. He was recently in the Stars’ locker room after their second-round win.

Goaltending

Oettinger is playing in his fourth straight postseason and has already won six playoff series. Now he’s aiming for the Stanley Cup.

“I feel like he is dialed in. I feel like he’s on a bit of a mission here,” DeBoer said. “I think coming up short two years in a row, or getting that far and then not breaking through … he’s going to do everything he can to try to get us there.”

Oettinger has a .919 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.47.

Skinner started the season as Edmonton’s main goalie but lost the job when the team fell behind 2-0 in the first round. He returned to the net as the Oilers won six straight games. He was injured in Game 2 of the second round against Vegas. After a loss in Game 3, he bounced back with two straight shutouts, including a 1-0 overtime win in the deciding Game 5.

Special teams

Last year, Dallas failed to score on any of its 14 power plays in the West final. Edmonton scored two short-handed goals and wrapped up the series with two power-play goals in Game 6.

This postseason, Dallas has performed well on special teams. They are third-best among playoff teams on both the power play (30.8%) and penalty kill (86.1%). Their power play is the top-ranked among teams that have made it past the first round. The only better penalty kills belong to Carolina and Florida.

Edmonton has a 25% success rate on power plays and a 66.7% rate on penalty kills this postseason.

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The Backbone of Experience

There’s no denying the impact of veterans on the Stars’ success. Joe Pavelski, at 39, remains one of the NHL’s most reliable forwards, providing leadership and offensive production. Jamie Benn has found a second wind in his career, and Tyler Seguin continues to play a vital role despite battling injuries in recent seasons.

From a leadership standpoint, this veteran presence is invaluable. These players set the tone in the locker room and provide a level of stability for younger teammates. Pavelski, in particular, has mentored budding stars like Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, helping them navigate the pressures of the NHL.

However, the question remains: Is this reliance sustainable?

The Youth Movement: Held Back or Supported?

Dallas has an impressive crop of young talent. Jason Robertson has already cemented himself as one of the league’s top wingers, while Wyatt Johnston continues to develop into a top-six forward. Defenseman Thomas Harley has shown promise, and Jake Oettinger has proven he can be a franchise goaltender.

Despite this young core, the Stars still prioritize their veteran group in key situations. Coach Pete DeBoer often leans on his experienced players in high-stakes moments, sometimes limiting the opportunities for younger players to take on bigger roles. While this strategy has its merits, it could slow down the development of the next generation.

Balancing the Present and Future

The Stars are currently built to win, and their mix of veteran leadership and young skill has proven effective. However, other teams that have leaned too long on an aging core—like the Chicago Blackhawks or Pittsburgh Penguins—have faced steep declines once their veterans slowed down.

If Dallas wants to avoid a similar fate, they must ensure their young stars are given ample opportunities to develop into franchise cornerstones.

Ultimately, the Stars’ reliance on veterans isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a fine line to walk. If they can transition their younger players into larger roles while still utilizing their experienced core, they could set themselves up for long-term success.

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Stars coach Pete DeBoer shared Thursday that Heiskanen underwent an MRI and would see a specialist for more details about his injury.

The Finnish general manager, Jere Lehtinen, who used to play for Dallas, contacted the Stars and Heiskanen to inform them of the decision to rule him out of the tournament.

Finland’s coach, Antti Pennanen, expressed sadness about the news, saying, “This is really sad news, first and foremost for Miro himself, but of course also for the Finnish 4 Nations Face-Off team and Dallas. We don’t know the details of the injury yet, but we hope that Miro will be back in playing condition as soon as possible.”

A replacement player will be chosen for the Finnish team, but Lehtinen didn’t give a specific timeline.

Heiskanen’s injury occurred in the third period of the Stars’ 4-3 overtime win over Vegas on Tuesday. He was hit by Stone, who fell into Heiskanen’s left knee and thigh after being tripped. Stone wasn’t fined or suspended for the incident.

Stone, who was penalized for tripping, clarified that he didn’t intend to injure Heiskanen. DeBoer, who previously coached Stone in Vegas, commented that he didn’t see Stone as a dirty player, though he questioned why officials didn’t review the play for a possible five-minute major penalty. There was a brief altercation between the teams while Heiskanen was on the ice.

The 4 Nations tournament will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. This tournament is the first international competition with NHL players in nearly ten years.

Heiskanen’s injury is a significant loss for the Stars, who have reached the Western Conference Final in the past two seasons. Dallas is currently second in the Central Division, with Colorado and Minnesota close behind.

Heiskanen has been a key player for the Stars since debuting at 19 in 2018, after being drafted third overall in 2017.

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After making a strong run to the Western Conference Final in 2020, fans were excited, thinking the team had found its identity and was on the path to success.

But now, despite having key players in place, the team’s unpredictable performances this season have raised doubts about their future and ability to meet expectations.

The Highs and Lows of the Stars’ Season

At their best, the Stars appear to be serious Stanley Cup contenders. With leaders like veteran forward Jamie Benn, star center Roope Hintz, and dependable goalie Jake Oettinger, the team has shown some great performances.

The offensive depth, including players like Tyler Seguin and the rising Wyatt Johnston, has been solid, and the defense, although inconsistent at times, features a strong top pair with Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter.

However, it’s the inconsistency that has been the main issue. The Stars’ performances range from excellent to frustratingly poor, which has started to bother fans who were hoping for more reliability.

At times, the team has looked disorganized defensively, and despite their strong offense, they sometimes miss scoring chances, leading to confusing losses against teams they should beat.

The Problem with Inconsistency

In sports, especially in the NHL, being consistent is crucial. A team’s ability to bring the same intensity and focus every game is a big sign of their potential for success.

The Stars’ failure to maintain this consistency has raised concerns about whether they can make a deep playoff run or even compete for the Cup.

Inconsistent areas like power play performance, penalty killing, and defensive coverage can hurt the team in the postseason, and fans are starting to see this as a serious problem.

For a team with high hopes, the frustration from fans makes sense. After a strong playoff run not long ago, the Stars are now struggling to find a balance between their older core players and their younger, more energetic players.

Managing both groups has been difficult, leaving the team looking like one with great potential but also prone to mistakes that hold them back.

The Impact on Fan Trust

A loyal fanbase is both a strength and a challenge. On one hand, the passion and dedication of Stars fans create a lively atmosphere at the American Airlines Center and help build a strong community around the team.

On the other hand, when the team doesn’t meet expectations, fans can quickly become disappointed, questioning the leadership, roster decisions, and the team’s direction.

After years of rebuilding, the Stars seemed to turn a corner with their deep playoff run, but the inconsistency this season has made many fans wonder if that was just a short-term success.

The question of whether the Stars are losing fan trust is a complex one. A fanbase can be unpredictable, but it’s also tough and can stick with the team.

If the Stars keep showing flashes of greatness and stay in the playoff race, fans will likely continue supporting them, hoping the team can finally get it together.

But if the inconsistency continues and they suffer another early playoff exit or miss the postseason entirely, fan trust could start to fade, especially if fans feel the team isn’t doing enough to fix the issues.

The Road Ahead for the Stars

The future of the Dallas Stars depends on how they deal with their problems in the coming months. The team’s leaders, both in the locker room and behind the bench, will be key in getting them back on track.

Head coach Peter DeBoer will need to figure out how to make better use of the team’s strengths, improve their defense, and make sure the offense isn’t relying too much on just a few players.

General manager Jim Nill might need to look into making trades or changes to the roster to help the team find the consistency they need in the second half of the season.

The Stars still have a chance to be a competitive team, but whether they can turn their inconsistency into reliability will test their mental strength and team chemistry.

The fanbase is loyal, but realistic, and the pressure to succeed is only going to grow. If the Stars keep struggling with inconsistency, it might only be a matter of time before that trust starts to slip away.

In the end, whether the Dallas Stars can get their consistency back and prove they can compete when it matters most will determine if they can maintain their fan support or if cracks in that trust will grow bigger. Time will tell if they can live up to the potential many still believe they have.

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Trade Deadline Sparks Hurricanes’ Activity

As the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline approaches, the Hurricanes are becoming increasingly active in trade discussions. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman highlighted Carolina as a “team to watch,” emphasizing their readiness to make impactful moves. Although Friedman refrained from naming specific players or teams involved, his comments indicate the Hurricanes’ proactive approach to bolstering their roster. This heightened activity underscores their commitment to maximizing their playoff potential.

Among the swirling rumors, Vancouver Canucks forward JT Miller has emerged as a potential target for the Hurricanes. With Vancouver’s situation intensifying, the likelihood of a trade appears to be increasing. While Carolina is a plausible destination for Miller, competition from teams like the New York Rangers and Utah Hockey Club adds intrigue. A potential acquisition of Miller could enhance the Hurricanes’ offensive depth and further their playoff aspirations.

Ongoing Goalie Speculation

Goaltending has been a recurring theme in the Hurricanes’ trade rumors this season. Injuries to veteran starter Frederik Andersen have necessitated exploring potential replacements, including Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson. Although no deals have materialized thus far, the Hurricanes remain a frequently mentioned team in goalie-related discussions. Strengthening their goaltending could prove crucial for Carolina’s long-term success in the postseason.

The Hurricanes’ recent success and active presence in trade talks highlight their determination to contend for the Stanley Cup. With speculation surrounding both offensive and goaltending upgrades, Carolina is positioning itself as a significant player in the trade market. Fans eagerly anticipate whether the team’s proactive approach will translate into impactful acquisitions, as they aim to build momentum heading into the playoffs.

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On Saturday, Makar reached a new milestone by scoring his 100th career goal in his 362nd NHL game. This made him the fifth-fastest defenseman to reach that mark since the 1943-44 season. Only Hall of Famers Bobby Orr (299 games), Paul Coffey (300), Ray Bourque (329), and Denis Potvin (348) reached it faster.

As usual, Makar downplayed the significance of the milestone. Two days before reaching the 100-goal mark, he said, “I guess just another thing along the way. I don’t really look at (milestones) like that. I wish it would come and go.”

However, his teammates are quick to praise him. Mikko Rantanen, who has played alongside Makar since his debut in the 2018-19 playoffs, said, “You kind of forget how special he actually is. He’s one of the best ‘D’ ever to play the game.”

With 101 career goals (he scored twice on Saturday) and 287 assists, Makar has an average of 1.07 points per game. If he keeps this pace, it would put him among the best defensemen in NHL history, joining players like Orr (1.39) and Coffey (1.09) for the highest career points per game.

“I’m a little biased, but you’re watching one of the best defensemen that’s ever played the game,” said coach Jared Bednar, who coached Makar to a Stanley Cup in 2022 and described him as the best of the best. “The league has a handful of guys that are super-dynamic right now. I think that’s a trend that we’re going to see moving forward. But in my opinion, he’s the best of the best.”

Makar is also a key player for the Avalanche, averaging 25 minutes and 37 seconds of ice time per game, which is the third most in the league.

“The stuff he does on the ice, it’s incredible,” said fellow defenseman Keaton Middleton. “He’s one of a kind.”

Middleton, who is trying to score his first NHL goal, listens closely to Makar’s advice on generating offense. “If he’s saying, ‘Try and shoot here,’ I’m going to be like, ‘OK, I’m listening to him.’ Just try and learn as much as I can,” said Middleton.

“I’m not going to try and play like him, because that’s not my role. But I definitely could take what he knows and his knowledge and his skill and try to apply it to myself.”

Makar’s skill was on full display when he scored his 100th career goal on a power play during a 6-3 win over Dallas. Positioned at the top, Makar passed the puck around before getting it back from Nathan MacKinnon. Makar then fired a rising wrist shot past Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith.

“It’s certainly impressive,” said Bednar of Makar’s milestone. “We’ve talked about that for years now, some of the milestones that he hits, and the timing of him, how quickly he hits them.”

Makar, who will participate in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament for Team Canada next month, is also having another strong season. He’s already recorded his fifth 50-point season, the most by a defenseman in team history. He started the season on a 13-game point streak, which is the second longest streak by a blue-liner to start a season, behind only Orr’s 15-game streak in 1973-74.

“It’s fun to watch,” Middleton said of his teammate. “I don’t know what (other) words I can use to describe him. I guess I’ve got to get a thesaurus.”

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With Dallas down 2-1, Jamie Benn and Hintz scored within 1:08 in the second period. Jake Oettinger made 11 saves, and the Stars’ defense was strong, allowing just two shots in the third period and only 13 shots in total.

Matt Duchene added a goal in the third period to help seal the win. He also had an assist, while Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnson each recorded two assists. Dallas extended their unbeaten run to 4-0-1 in their last five games.

Brady Tkachuk scored and assisted on Ridly Greig’s goal for Ottawa, who were limited to their second-lowest shot total of the season. Leevi Merilainen stopped 21 shots in goal for Ottawa, which went 0-for-4 on the power play and started the new year with a loss after a strong December (9-3-1).

Dallas started strong, getting a power-play goal just 4:39 into the game. Robertson sent the puck toward the net, where Hintz redirected it past Merilainen.

Ottawa responded quickly, scoring twice in 24 seconds. First, Tkachuk scored off a faceoff win, and then he stole the puck behind the net, setting up Greig for a goal.

Dallas tied the game in the second period when Benn’s shot deflected off Ottawa defenseman Travis Hamonic and past Merilainen. Hintz then scored after a turnover by Ottawa in their own zone, giving Dallas a 3-2 lead.

Oettinger denied a breakaway attempt from Shane Pinto early in the third period. Duchene’s snap shot with 6:23 left added an insurance goal for the Stars.

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The Senators, who are currently holding the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, are looking to prevent the Stars from winning their third straight game on Thursday night.

Ottawa has been playing well, with 11 wins in their last 16 games, including a 9-3-1 record in December. They are coming off a 3-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday.

“We just have to keep building on what we’re doing right now,” said Ottawa forward Claude Giroux, who has two goals and four assists in the last seven games. “We’re not forcing anything, not playing high-risk hockey. We’re just trying to find ways to win games.”

Ottawa has been performing well on the road this season, with a record of 9-9-1. They have already won four of their first six games on their current nine-game road trip.

“We have a group that really cares about one another,” said Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic. “It’s all been nice and it’s been great, but for us, it’s about moving forward.”

Ottawa’s next challenge is against the Stars, who have been inconsistent this season. Their longest winning streak was four games at the start of the season, but Dallas is currently on a 3-0-1 run, coming off a 4-2 win over Buffalo on Tuesday.

Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists in the victory, while Wyatt Johnston’s third-period goal broke a 2-2 tie and helped Dallas improve to 14-5-1 at home.

“We just kept pushing and pushing,” said Robertson, who has five points in the last two games. He finished December with three goals and eight assists in eight games.

Dallas’ Casey DeSmith made 21 saves on Tuesday, allowing only five goals in his last three starts. However, Jake Oettinger could return to the net, having stopped 24 of 25 shots in a win against Chicago last Friday.

Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark, who had a strong December, remains out with a back injury he suffered on Dec. 22. Leevi Merilainen made 30 saves in the win over Minnesota and is now 2-1-0 this season. Veteran Anton Forsberg could return from a lower-body injury, and Mads Sogaard has also been an option in goal.

Ottawa might also get key defenseman Artem Zub back from a foot injury that has kept him sidelined since Nov. 23.

Johnston, meanwhile, has been in strong form for the Stars, scoring in three straight games and recording eight points in their last seven games.

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Thomas Harley recorded two assists, and Casey DeSmith made 21 saves for the Stars.

Jason Zucker and Beck Malenstyn scored for Buffalo, which had its three-game winning streak ended. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 29 shots for the Sabres.

Roope Hintz gave Dallas a 1-0 lead at 9:49 of the second period. Robertson controlled the puck high in the zone before passing it to Hintz, who scored with a wrist shot on the glove side of Luukkonen.

Buffalo answered quickly, tying the game 1-1 just 31 seconds later. Tage Thompson tipped a shot by Bowen Byram under DeSmith, and Zucker was there to push the puck across the line.

Robertson gave the Stars a 2-1 lead at 2:35 of the third period, intercepting Jack Quinn’s clearing attempt and beating Luukkonen with a shot on the stick side from the right side.

Rasmus Dahlin kept the game close, preventing a goal by sweeping a puck off the goal line and out of the crease after it got behind Luukkonen.

At 4:57 of the third, Malenstyn scored for Buffalo, redirecting a shot from Sam Lafferty that deflected off his skate and past DeSmith, tying the game 2-2.

Dallas took the lead back at 11:32 when Wyatt Johnston deflected Harley’s pass from the left circle over Luukkonen’s shoulder to make it 3-2.

Esa Lindell sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:23, making it 4-2.

Both goaltenders were strong throughout the game.

DeSmith closed his pads on Jiri Kulich’s backhand shot from the right circle and then stopped Zach Benson’s rebound attempt just over three minutes into the first period.

Later in the period, Luukkonen used his blocker to deny Jamie Benn’s snap shot from the slot.

In the second period, Luukkonen made a great save on Logan Stankoven’s one-timer from the slot.

Benson nearly scored for the Sabres on a two-on-one break, slipping the puck past an outstretched DeSmith, but Nils Lundkvist was there to clear the puck off the line.

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The Blackhawks took an early lead when Bedard netted his 10th goal of the season on a power play in the first period. Seth Jones assisted on the play, and Bedard’s shot deflected off Sam Steel’s stick past Oettinger. However, Dallas responded before the end of the period, with Benn jamming in a rebound off Dadonov’s backhander, evening the score at 1-1. The momentum shifted further in Dallas’ favor in the second period when Robertson capitalized on a power play, giving the Stars a 2-1 lead. Dadonov then extended the lead to 3-1 after a feed from Matt Duchene.

The third period saw the Stars add two more goals, effectively sealing the game. Just 10 seconds into the period, Johnston scored off a deflection from a Duchene shot, making it 4-1. Duchene himself added the final goal of the night, putting home a rebound off Johnston’s shot at 17:05. Throughout the game, Oettinger’s performance in goal was crucial, as he helped keep the Blackhawks from generating any real offense after their early lead.

Dallas Stars players such as Robertson and Dadonov acknowledged the importance of getting pucks to the net, especially in tight areas, where the majority of goals are scored. Robertson highlighted how the team’s emphasis on playing inside helped them generate more scoring opportunities. Dadonov also reflected on his individual performance, expressing confidence in his ability to contribute as the season progresses. He is looking forward to building momentum in the new year, particularly as the team deals with injuries and strives to maintain strong performances.

On the other hand, Teuvo Teravainen of the Blackhawks reflected on the team’s struggles and the loss of momentum throughout the game. He noted that the team needs to find a way to bounce back quickly after mistakes, stressing the importance of being better in the next shift. He also acknowledged that the team hasn’t been supporting their goalies as much as they should, which has been a problem in recent games. The major penalty taken by Tyler Bertuzzi, which led to Robertson’s go-ahead goal, shifted the game’s momentum, and Teravainen emphasized the need for the team to regroup and improve their overall performance.

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Jonas Brodin and Marcus Foligno scored in the third period, and Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves for the Wild, who had been struggling, losing four of five games before the Christmas break.

Wyatt Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov each had a goal and an assist, while Jake Oettinger made 15 saves for the Stars. Despite losing the lead, Dallas extended their point streak against Minnesota to 12 games (8-0-4).

Dadonov put the Stars ahead 1-0 at 9:52 of the first period after a pass from Jamie Benn to Johnston, who assisted Dadonov with a wrist shot. The Stars made it 2-0 at 15:08 of the second when Dadonov set up Johnston, who scored from the high slot.

Minnesota responded in the third. Brodin scored at 10:36, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with a wrist shot from the left circle off a 4-on-2 rush. Just 57 seconds later, Foligno tipped in a one-timer from Jared Spurgeon to tie the game at 2-2.

The Wild played without star forward Kirill Kaprizov, who stayed home due to a lower-body injury. Kaprizov was tied for fourth in the NHL with 50 points before the game.

Stars forward Mason Marchment was hit in the face with a deflected shot late in the first period and did not return. He had also been hit in the face with a puck earlier this season.

Oettinger entered the game with a strong record against the Wild, with a 6-0-1 record, .917 save percentage, and a 2.30 goals-against average. Dallas outshot Minnesota 14-4 in the first period and led 22-9 after two.

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Both teams were on short losing streaks heading into Monday, but both managed to get victories before the break.

Dallas won 3-2 against the Utah Hockey Club, avoiding their first three-game losing streak in regulation in 2 1/2 seasons under coach Peter DeBoer.

“Nobody wants to go into Christmas on a losing note,” said Stars goalie Casey DeSmith. “Everybody wants to go home and be with their families and just feel good about hockey for a couple days, but get away from it as well.”

The Wild ended a season-long four-game losing streak by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Monday.

“It’s a good reset for us,” said Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber. “End on a good note, enjoy the holidays and come back refreshed.”

Minnesota welcomed back two players from injury against the Blackhawks, including goalie Filip Gustavsson, who made 28 saves after missing four games due to a lower-body injury.

“It felt fine out there,” Gustavsson said. “(An injury) is always going to be on your mind a little bit when you’re back playing and, hopefully, I can just keep playing and it’s going to fade away a little bit.”

Minnesota forward Yakov Trenin also returned from a five-game absence due to an upper-body injury.

The Wild are still waiting for the return of top-line center Joel Eriksson Ek, who has missed the last 10 games due to a lower-body injury, and defenseman Jake Middleton, who has missed the last six games because of a hand injury.

Minnesota still has forward Kirill Kaprizov, who is tied for second in the NHL with 23 goals and tied for fourth with 50 points.

Wild coach John Hynes said he wants to see his team create more of a net-front presence when they return from the break.

“You need money, you go to the bank. Need food, you go to the store. You want to score, you got to go to the net,” Hynes said.

Going into the break, the Wild were second in the Central Division, five points behind the Winnipeg Jets.

The Stars have more work to do, sitting fourth in the division, 11 points behind the Jets and barely hanging on to the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

“All you have to do is look at the standings and see what those points mean,” said DeBoer after the win against Utah. “It’s a little early in the season to be scoreboard watching too much, but any time you can win on the road in a tough building like this, they’ll take it.”

Repeating as Central Division champions will be harder this season, especially without high-scoring forward Tyler Seguin, who had hip surgery earlier this month.

“We’ve had some adversity the first half and that’s not a bad thing. I think every team needs to go through a little bit of that to learn about yourselves,” DeBoer said. “They find a way to dig deep in adverse situations and get the job done.”

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Nicholas Robertson, who had a goal and an assist, played against his brother Jason, with their parents watching the game.

Max Domi and Bobby McMann also scored for the Maple Leafs, who won four out of their last five games, even though they were outshot 41-19.

Evgenii Dadonov had a goal and an assist for the Stars, while Sam Steel and Colin Blackwell also scored. The Stars have lost seven straight games to Toronto.

Jake Oettinger allowed four goals on 12 shots and was replaced by Casey DeSmith, who made six saves in the third period.

Nylander scored his first goal when he received a pass from Auston Matthews and lifted the puck over Oettinger’s glove to tie the game 2-2 at 5:15 of the second period.

Robertson then scored 16 seconds later, getting the puck in the high slot and shooting it past Oettinger.

McMann extended Toronto’s lead to 4-2 with a shot that went under Oettinger’s arm at 11:01 of the second.

Blackwell cut the deficit to 4-3 with 2:16 left in the third, but Nylander sealed the win with his 20th goal just 33 seconds later.

Steel opened the scoring at 5:14 of the first period when he fought off Matthews and tucked the puck under the crossbar. It was Steel’s fourth goal of the season and second in his last five games.

Domi quickly tied it up 59 seconds later with a wrist shot from the right circle that went in under the top left corner.

Dadonov gave the Stars a 2-1 lead just 22 seconds into the second period, using Morgan Rielly as a screen to beat Woll.

David Kampf, who returned after missing 12 games due to a lower-body injury, won eight of 11 faceoffs.

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On Monday, the Stars won 3-1 against the Washington Capitals, improving to a 3-1-0 record on their six-game homestand and 13-3-0 at American Airlines Center this season.

Roope Hintz, with two goals, and Jason Robertson, who had two assists, had strong performances in the game. Rookie Lian Bichsel added to the success by scoring a goal for the second time in three games. He became only the second defenseman in franchise history to score twice in his first three NHL games, joining Derian Hatcher from 1991-92.

“It’s not an easy job out there. I’m just getting into the league, but I think I’m doing a good job keeping it simple and helping the team,” said the 20-year-old Bichsel. “I’m fighting for a job here and doing all I can here to make their decision hard. Every day is a new opportunity for me, and every day I have to show them that I’m worth playing here.”

Bichsel was called up from the AHL’s Texas Stars to fill in for the injured Matt Dumba (upper body) and Nils Lundkvist (illness). Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 231 pounds, Bichsel has used his size and physicality to make an impact, registering 12 hits in three games, including one that sent Blues captain Brayden Schenn into the Stars’ bench.

“When you’re a young guy and come in that situation like this, you don’t have to score every night,” said Dallas head coach Peter DeBoer. “You have to make an impression and get the coaches’ trust.”

Jake Oettinger made 25 saves in his sixth straight start, with backup Casey DeSmith out sick. Oettinger has a 12-2-0 record with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage at home, compared to a 4-5-0 record with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage on the road.

The Stars’ penalty kill also continued its strong play, shutting down all four of Washington’s power plays to remain perfect on the homestand.

The Maple Leafs won 5-3 against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, scoring four unanswered goals. Veteran John Tavares sealed the win with a natural hat trick.

“I’m just playing,” said the 34-year-old Tavares. “I think I’ve got a lot of belief in my game and what I can do, whether that is scoring or just making an impact all over the ice. So just continue to help this team as best I can. My whole life I’ve been able to produce offensively, score goals, and just want to continue to do that when those chances present themselves.”

Nicholas Robertson, who had just two points (both goals) in his previous 23 games, added a goal and an assist against the Sabres to double his point total for the season. The Robertson brothers, Nicholas (23) and Jason (25), will face each other on the ice Wednesday.

Toronto is still without its top goalie, Anthony Stolarz, who will miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

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The Capitals are heading to Chicago after losing 3-1 to the Dallas Stars on Monday, which ended their franchise-record 10-game road winning streak.

Before Monday’s loss, Washington had won four games in a row, outscoring their opponents 13-6. Despite only scoring one goal against Dallas, Dylan Strome managed to get on the scoreboard by tipping in a point shot from Jakob Chychrun in the first period.

Strome explained, “Try to get a high tip because it’s tough for the goalie to pick it up. We talk a lot about getting to the net. It’s kind of a give-and-take, if you can get to the net to screen the goalie or try to get a high tip. All of our ‘D’ gets their shots through, and that’s been a huge reason why we’ve scored this year.”

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery values his team’s effort, especially considering they’ve been without star forward Alex Ovechkin, who has been out for a month with a fractured left fibula.

Carbery said, “We need to continue to find ways to score on the interior… We’ve got to continue to work because those are hard goals to score, but they’re imperative goals to score. Imperative to score in this league, especially against good teams.”

The Chicago Blackhawks, who have won two out of their last four games, are looking for their second two-game winning streak of the season.

The Blackhawks have allowed eight third-period goals in the last three games, but they managed to prevent another loss when the New York Islanders’ Noah Dobson scored early in the third period on Sunday to tie the game at 3. Connor Bedard then scored the game-winner with 54 seconds left, and the Blackhawks added an empty-net goal for a 5-3 victory.

Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen praised the team’s resilience. He said, “We did bend a little bit, and we were teetering a little bit, but give the guys a lot of credit. The composure on the bench was really good. A lot of young players kept their composure and kept making plays when the game was on the line.”

Bedard had a goal and an assist, giving him seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last five games.

Bedard credited Sorensen’s system and his own hard work for the team’s improvement. He said, “I feel like he’s been really good with me kind of one-on-one, helping me out.

And I think we’re playing a little more aggressive, which obviously benefits the offensive side. But, you know, obviously I like to think I can make plays and produce, and that’s what I want to do. But he’s helped me out a bit, for sure.”

Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno missed the Islanders game due to illness. Washington’s Andrew Mangiapane was also out on Monday for the same reason.

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Lian Bichsel also scored for the Stars, who have won three out of their last four games during their six-game homestand. This victory improved their home record to 13-3-0 for the season. Jason Robertson contributed two assists, and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves.

Dylan Strome scored the only goal for the Capitals, who had won four games in a row and earned points in their last nine games (8-0-1), the longest active point streak in the NHL this season. Charlie Lindgren made 21 saves in the loss.

The Capitals fell just two wins short of tying the NHL record for most consecutive road wins, which is 12, held by the 2005-06 Detroit Red Wings and the 2014-15 Minnesota Wild.

The Stars went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Capitals failed to score on all four of their power-play opportunities.

Strome gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 15:39 of the first period when he deflected Jakob Chychrun’s shot from the point past Oettinger. It was Strome’s third goal in his last four games.

Hintz tied the game at 1-1 with a power-play goal at 13:28 of the second period. He was in the slot when Jamie Benn passed to him from below the right circle, and Hintz scored over Lindgren’s right shoulder.

Bichsel gave the Stars a 2-1 lead at 17:35 of the second period. His wrist shot from the point deflected off Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin and past Lindgren. Bichsel has scored two goals in three NHL games.

Lindgren made a pad save on Benn midway through the third period to keep the score 2-1, and then Oettinger stopped Pierre-Luc Dubois at the other end.

Hintz sealed the win with his second goal of the night at 14:58 of the third period. Robertson intercepted a clearing attempt behind the Washington net and passed it to Hintz, who scored on a one-timer from the right circle.

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Duchene’s game-winner further cemented his role as a key player for Dallas this season. Leading the team with 13 goals, including four decisive game-winners, he continues to be a clutch performer. Robertson, the Stars’ top scorer for the past two seasons, has recently rediscovered his scoring touch, netting goals in two of his last three games—a feat he hadn’t achieved since late October. The Stars showed resilience, earning their first win in seven games this season after trailing at the end of the first period.

For the Blues, Jordan Kyrou opened the scoring in the first period and extended his streak with goals in three straight games, totaling five goals in his last six outings. Goaltender Jordan Binnington was a standout for St. Louis, making 35 saves and keeping the Blues competitive, especially during a second period where they were outshot 14-3. His strong play in penalty-kill situations limited Dallas to just one power-play goal on three opportunities.

Both teams had standout moments and notable performances. For St. Louis, Robert Thomas assisted on Kyrou’s goal, extending his own point streak to six games with three goals and eight assists in that span. However, the Blues continue to face challenges, particularly with injuries. They recently acquired defenseman Cam Fowler to bolster their lineup in the absence of Nick Leddy, and veteran forward Brandon Saad was a healthy scratch after a prolonged scoring drought.

Looking ahead, the Blues will host the New York Rangers on Sunday, seeking to bounce back from the narrow loss. Meanwhile, the Stars will look to maintain their momentum when they host the Washington Capitals on Monday. The key moment of the game occurred late in overtime when Oettinger’s critical save on Pavel Buchnevich set the stage for Duchene’s heroic game-winner, sealing a gritty and hard-fought victory for Dallas.

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Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars, and Jake Oettinger made 15 saves, starting his fifth consecutive game. Oettinger stretched his left pad to stop Pavel Buchnevich in overtime before Duchene scored the game-winning goal.

Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues, who are 5-2-2 under new coach Jim Montgomery. Jordan Binnington made 35 saves, earning St. Louis a point.

The Blues applied pressure during their first power play and finally scored just as it expired. After Robert Thomas’ shot was blocked, he retrieved the puck and passed it to Kyrou in the low slot, where Kyrou scored at 9:08, giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead. This was Kyrou’s seventh goal in the last 11 games.

Dallas came out strong in the second period, outshooting the Blues 14-3. Binnington made early saves on Logan Stankoven and Esa Lindell. The Stars capitalized on a power play 2:39 into the period, when Jamie Benn passed the puck to Robertson in the high slot, and Robertson tied the game 1-1 with a one-timer.

Dallas quickly got another power play and put more pressure on St. Louis, but the Blues killed it off to keep the score tied. Later in the second, the Stars had another power play but Binnington stopped Stankoven’s one-time shot from the left circle.

Dallas had more puck possession in the third period. Robertson had a great chance early on but couldn’t get his backhand shot past Binnington at the right post. The Blues created some scoring chances, but Oettinger stopped Jake Neighbours on a breakaway.

Despite being outshot 34-17 in regulation, St. Louis managed to reach overtime.

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Before a 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday, the Stars had a solid 11-2-0 record at home. They will now try to respond strongly in their first game of the season against their Central Division rivals, the Blues.

“We have to be a lot better at the start of next game,” said Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen. “We have to do everything better.”

The Stars will focus on putting pressure on the Blues’ defense to create more offensive chances.

“I didn’t think we had enough chances or created enough in the whole game,” Heiskanen added. “We were too slow and too soft and didn’t end plays quick enough. Forecheck wasn’t working really well, we didn’t (force) many (turnovers). We have to be a lot sharper all over the ice.”

The only goal for Dallas in the loss to Nashville came from rookie defenseman Lian Bichsel, who scored in his NHL debut.

“He showed what’s intriguing about him,” said Stars coach Peter DeBoer. “He’s a big body and the way he got up ice on that goal, the way he skated. We like that element from our defensemen. There were some really good signs.”

The Stars have struggled recently, losing three of their last four games, with Jake Oettinger starting in goal for each.

The Blues are coming off a 3-1-0 road trip through Western Canada, but lost 4-3 to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. St. Louis didn’t play well until the third period, when a late rally almost forced overtime.

“Every team does it in the league,” said Blues captain Brayden Schenn about the tough road schedule. “That’s no excuse. It’s just they’re tougher games to play, no doubt about it. At the same time, when you have that, you just have to play smarter. We probably would like to have our first two periods back (Thursday) and manage the game a little bit better.”

The Blues allowed odd-man rushes throughout the game because their forwards didn’t cover for the defensemen who moved deep into the offensive zone.

“We’re asking our defensemen to pinch pucks that are on walls,” said Blues coach Jim Montgomery, who has a 5-2-1 record since replacing Drew Bannister as head coach. “They did and they kept them in. What’s happening is our forwards got to get above (the puck). The forward that’s responsible for replacing the D, when the puck gets stopped, he’s stopping.”

The Blues took Friday off to rest and prepare for the game against the Stars.

“We’ve been in a lot of different beds,” said Blues defenseman Ryan Suter, a former Star. “It’s tough, but every day is a new day. You wake up and you kind of forget about the past and you focus on being good that night.”

Blues center Radek Faksa, also a former Star, didn’t play against the Sharks but coach Montgomery hoped he would be ready to face his old team. Nathan Walker filled in as the fourth-line center in his place, and Mathieu Joseph rejoined the lineup.

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Justus Annunen made 35 saves for Nashville.

O’Reilly, who had missed the previous three games due to a lower-body injury, wasted no time making an impact by scoring twice in a three-goal second period. The Predators had been struggling with an 0-5-3 record in their last eight games.

Tommy Novak also scored in the second period for Nashville, which ended a six-game road losing streak.

Annunen, making his second start since being traded from Colorado on Nov. 30, was excellent, particularly in the third period when the Stars outshot the Predators 16-6 but could only manage Lian Bichsel’s first career goal. Annunen made five big saves in the first three minutes of the third.

Dallas lost for the third time in four games, falling to 11-3-0 at home. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves but suffered his first home loss in 11 starts this season.

Nashville controlled play in the first period, outshooting the Stars 8-5. The Predators thought they had taken the lead late in the period when Adam Wilsby scored, but it was ruled offside after Dallas challenged.

Wilsby did get his first NHL point in the second period. During a 4-on-4 situation, Jonathan Marchessault got the rebound of Wilsby’s shot and passed it to O’Reilly, who scored.

Less than two minutes later, Marchessault set up Novak, who faked out Oettinger to score. O’Reilly extended the lead to 3-0 at 14:39, redirecting Kevin Gravel’s shot from the point.

After Bichsel’s goal at 9:26 in the third, Nashville thought they had made it 4-1 when Nick Blankenburg scored, but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference after a successful Dallas challenge.

Zach L’Heureux sealed the win with an empty-net goal to give Nashville a 4-1 lead.

The Predators played without captain Roman Josi, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

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They will also need to find a way to beat the Dallas Stars on their home ice. The Stars are aiming for their fifth consecutive home win while hoping to hand the Predators their ninth loss on Thursday night.

Nashville’s struggles have dropped them into a tie with Chicago, with the fewest points in the NHL (20). The Predators, who also have the lowest number of wins in the league with seven, have only scored 14 goals during their 0-5-3 slump. Their most recent victory was against Winnipeg on Nov. 23.

“It’s a tough league,” said forward Jonathan Marchessault, who added two goals in Tuesday’s 4-3 home loss to Calgary, bringing his season total to seven.

“Something I realized with time is it never gets easier. So, you’ve got to embrace the grind and embrace the adversity that you face as an individual, and as a team also.

“And, I think that’s how you can come out on top and come out (better).”

However, this will be a tough task for the Predators, as their captain and points leader (23), Roman Josi, suffered a lower-body injury in the first period on Tuesday. Josi did not return to the game, and his status is uncertain for Nashville, which has scored only seven goals during their current 0-5-1 road skid.

Nashville has also been without another key player, Ryan O’Reilly, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and has missed the last three games. Forward Gustav Nyquist was also out on Tuesday due to illness.

“Obviously, you never replace Roman Josi,” said Nashville coach Andrew Brunette. “But, I think it gives us … organizationally, a chance to see these guys with more minutes and what they have.”

The Predators are heading to Dallas, where the Stars have a strong 11-2-0 record at home and have outscored opponents 19-8 during a four-game home winning streak. Defenseman Thomas Harley scored two of Dallas’ four goals in the third period, and Jason Robertson finished with a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 6-2 win over Calgary to start a six-game home stretch.

“Every game is important,” said Harley, who doubled his goal count. “Looking forward to get back to it.”

Dallas broke out of a scoring slump on Sunday after being limited to just two goals in each of their previous three games.

“It starts with doing the right things, and we capitalize on the opportunities,” said Stars forward Sam Steel, who scored his third goal of the season on Sunday.

Robertson, who scored 41 goals in 2021-22 and 46 goals in 2022-23, had a drop to 29 goals last season and has just six goals this season. However, he has 10 goals in 21 games against Nashville, with his most recent goal coming during Dallas’ 4-3 win in the season opener on Oct. 10.

The Stars’ Jake Oettinger made 33 saves in that game. He’s also 10-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage at home this season. Backup Casey DeSmith has a 2.05 GAA while splitting his two home starts in 2024-25.

Meanwhile, Predators star Juuse Saros has a high 3.46 goals-against average during his current 0-4-3 start.

Marchessault is third on the team with 15 points this season, but only three of those points have come during 15 road games.

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Jason Robertson scored once and added an assist, while Wyatt Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov each scored a goal. Oskar Back collected two assists for the Stars, who ended a two-game losing streak. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 29 saves in the win.

Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary scored for the Flames, who have won only once in their last seven games. Goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 22 shots.

Dallas has a strong 11-2-0 record at home, with the best home-winning percentage in the league.

The game was tied at 2-2 when Hintz took off on a two-on-one rush, finishing a pass from Esa Lindell at 5:13 in the third period. This gave him his fifth goal in his last nine games.

Harley scored two goals 61 seconds apart in the third period, extending Dallas’ lead. He finished the game with his second goal at 19:02.

Before the third-period explosion, both teams exchanged leads. Huberdeau opened the scoring just 60 seconds into the game with a one-timer off Nazem Kadri’s pass during an odd-man rush, marking his ninth goal of the season.

Johnston answered at 4:26 of the first period, scoring a short-handed goal after taking advantage of a turnover at the Calgary blue line. He avoided a couple of defenders and fired a shot for his sixth goal of the season.

Robertson put the Stars ahead 2-1 at 7:47 of the second period, scoring his sixth goal of the season after holding off a defender during a two-on-one rush.

However, Zary tied the game at 16:08 of the second period, scoring on a rebound for his sixth goal of the season.

The Flames have set a franchise record with 25 games without scoring more than three goals in regulation. They have not won a road game in eight tries and hold a 3-7-4 record away from home.

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Even though the Stars have struggled on the road, they have the best home record in the league at 10-2-0. On the road, Dallas has only a 6-8-0 record, which affects their confidence.

“A timely save, a timely goal. That’s what it comes down to,” said coach Peter DeBoer. “If you’re going to be a good road team, you’ve got to get timely goals at the right time, and you’ve got to get timely saves, and we don’t seem to be getting either of those on the road right now.”

The Stars are returning to Dallas after losing two straight road games, including a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Penalties were a major issue, as the Stars were shorthanded a season-high six times and allowed two power-play goals.

“We can’t be doing that,” said captain Jamie Benn, who took a double-minor for high-sticking while his team was already on a power play. “I definitely could have prevented my penalty. I can only speak for myself, but it was a dumb penalty, and they found a way to get one in the net.”

Although the Stars are still one of the best defensive teams in the league, they have had trouble scoring lately. Jason Robertson, a two-time 40-goal scorer, has only managed five goals this season. Robertson even had a goal in Vegas taken away after review.

“It might be frustrating, but get out there and find another way to score,” said DeBoer. “That’s what you’re supposed to do.”

The Flames are also struggling on the road as they start a two-game trip.

After a 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, the Flames have a 3-6-4 road record, winning just one of their last 11 away games.

Calgary is also on a 1-3-2 skid, although they managed one win and an overtime loss during a brief two-game homestand.

“We got three out of four (points) during our little homestand,” said defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. “Our big focus is getting on the road here, and getting some wins on the road.”

Despite their struggles, the Flames are in a playoff spot. They have scored a power-play goal in eight of their last nine games, recording 10 power-play goals during that stretch.

However, they have allowed 10 power-play goals in their last seven games and have gone 24 games without scoring more than three goals in a game. No player is on pace to reach 50 points.

“If you score three goals a night, you should win a game,” said coach Ryan Huska. “And I do feel like over time, when we play the right way and play our game, we’re going to score more than three goals.”

Forward Jonathan Huberdeau, tied for the team lead with 16 points, added, “We’re a hard team to play against because of that, because we play more defensively. And obviously as an offensive guy, you have to buy into that. If you do that, I feel like you’re going to get rewarded at some point.”

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Shea Theodore had two assists, and Nicolas Roy also scored for Vegas, who lead the Pacific Division with an 11-3-0 record at home. Hill’s record improved to 12-4-2 for the season, including 10-2-2 in his last 14 starts.

Mason Marchment and Mavrik Bourque scored for Dallas, which lost its second consecutive game and finished its western road trip with a 1-2-0 record. Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for the Stars, who committed six minor penalties, including one double minor.

Dallas thought they took a 1-0 lead at 2:40 of the first period when Jason Robertson knocked a puck past Hill’s glove and inside the right post. However, Vegas successfully challenged for goalie interference, and the goal was overturned.

Hertl gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 15:23, 10 seconds into a five-on-three power play. Mark Stone, in his first game since suffering a lower-body injury on Nov. 6 against Edmonton, made the primary assist, passing from the goal line to Hertl in the low slot. Hertl then fired a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net.

Dallas tied it 1-1 at 6:39 of the second period when Bourque tapped a loose puck past Hill’s left skate for his first goal in 15 games and his second of the season.

After Jamie Benn received a double minor for high-sticking Nicolas Hague, the Golden Knights took the lead again with a power-play goal. Eichel scored on a one-timer off a pass from Theodore from the bottom of the left circle at 15:40.

Roy extended Vegas’ lead to 3-1 just 68 seconds later, scoring on a wrist shot from the middle of the left circle, which went past Oettinger’s blocker side and hit the near post.

With 3:17 left, Dallas pulled Oettinger for an extra attacker. Marchment scored on a rebound from a Wyatt Johnston deflection to cut the lead to 3-2 with 2:34 remaining.

The Stars pressed hard in the final minute to tie the game, but Hill made four key saves to secure the win.

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Foegele’s seventh goal of the season came at 2:22 of the third period on a wraparound, giving the Kings a 3-2 lead and extending their win streak to four games.

Foegele and Tanner Jeannot each had a goal and an assist, and Joel Edmundson also scored for Los Angeles, which improved to 9-2-1 at home. David Rittich made 26 saves.

Wyatt Johnston and Mason Marchment scored for Dallas, which had its three-game winning streak ended despite leading 2-0 after the first period. Jake Oettinger made 14 saves for Dallas, which had won its last four games against the Kings.

Golden Knights 4, Ducks 1

Shea Theodore scored twice against his former team, leading the visiting Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 win over Anaheim.

William Karlsson, who also started his NHL career with the Ducks, and Alexander Holtz each scored for Vegas. Victor Olofsson, Jack Eichel, and Tomas Hertl each had two assists, and Ilya Samsonov made 19 saves. Vegas is on a 6-1-1 run.

Jackson LaCombe scored for Anaheim, which has lost two of three and won only two of its last six games (2-3-1). John Gibson made 29 saves.

Maple Leafs 3, Predators 2

Auston Matthews scored twice early in the third period to help Toronto beat Nashville 3-2.

William Nylander also scored for the Maple Leafs, who have won three straight and 10 of their last 12 games. Mitch Marner had three assists, and Joseph Woll made 22 saves.

Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Jankowski scored for the Predators, who have lost five in a row (0-2-3). Juuse Saros made 25 saves.

Bruins 4, Blackhawks 2

Brad Marchand scored two goals 2:05 apart in the second period, Morgan Geekie also scored twice, and Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves to lead Boston to a 4-2 win over Chicago.

Boston won its third straight game under interim coach Joe Sacco, improving to 6-2 in their last eight games. Justin Brazeau, Mason Lohrei, Jordan Oesterle, and David Pastrnak each had two assists.

The Blackhawks lost their fourth straight game, matching their season-worst losing streak. Goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 23 shots, and Jason Dickinson and Alex Vlasic scored for Chicago.

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Foegele netted his seventh goal of the season with a wraparound goal at 2:22 in the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie and extending the Kings’ winning streak to four games.

Foegele and Tanner Jeannot each recorded a goal and an assist, and Joel Edmundson also scored for Los Angeles, which improved to 9-2-1 at home. David Rittich made 26 saves.

Wyatt Johnston and Mason Marchment scored for Dallas, which saw its three-game win streak end. Jake Oettinger made 14 saves for the Stars, who had won the previous four games against Los Angeles.

Dallas took a 1-0 lead at 2:34 in the first period when Johnston scored on a power play, poking in his own rebound for his fifth goal of the season.

Marchment extended the lead to 2-0 later in the first period. He took advantage of a Kings turnover in their zone, firing a wrist shot from the top of the slot past a screened Rittich.

The Kings responded to tie the game 2-2 in the second period. Jeannot scored off his own rebound for his third goal of the season. Edmundson then fired a one-timer from the left point that deflected off defenseman Miro Heiskanen and went in for Edmundson’s fourth goal.

Foegele scored the game-winner early in the third period after receiving the puck from Jeannot behind the net and beating Oettinger with a wraparound shot.

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Seguin will have surgery to repair an impingement and the labrum in his left hip, with the procedure scheduled for Thursday, the team announced on Wednesday.

“Tyler’s been dealing with this, been managing, I guess is the best way to say it, for a while,” said general manager Jim Nill. “And it just got to a point where it’s really this time to have surgery, and it’s a wear-and-tear injury.”

This will be Seguin’s second major hip surgery. He missed most of the 2020-21 season after similar surgery on his right hip. He also had knee surgery during that time.

Seguin tried to play through pain in 2020 when the Stars reached the Stanley Cup Final but lost to Tampa Bay.

This season, Seguin played in 19 of the first 23 games and has 20 points, with nine goals and 11 assists. The Stars placed Seguin on injured reserve after a 3-1 win over Winnipeg on Sunday.

“He’s done a great job with it,” said defenseman Miro Heiskanen. “You couldn’t really tell if he’s hurt or not, he was playing so good.”

After his previous surgery, Seguin played 81 games and didn’t miss any of Dallas’ playoff games in the past two seasons.

Seguin won a Stanley Cup with Boston as a rookie in 2011, and after two seasons with the Bruins, he was traded to Dallas in 2013.

In his first six seasons with Dallas, Seguin averaged 34 goals and 43 assists. He signed an eight-year, $78.8 million extension in 2019.

Nill said it’s too early to know how the Stars might use the salary cap space created by putting Seguin on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). By moving Seguin’s $9.85 million cap hit to LTIR, the Stars could potentially add another player before the March 7 trade deadline.

“We’re in a good position cap wise, we got some cap room, and we’re good roster wise. So, we’re just going to kind of monitor that as the season goes forward,” Nill said.

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Roope Hintz also scored, Jake Oettinger made 29 saves, and Miro Heiskanen recorded two assists for Dallas, who ended a two-game losing streak.

For Colorado, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen scored, Cale Makar added two assists, and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 19 shots.

Seguin put Dallas up 1-0 on the power play, scoring with a sharp-angle shot over Georgiev’s shoulder at 5:36 of the first period for his ninth goal of the season.

The Avalanche quickly responded on their first power play. Rantanen’s shot hit the post, and Nichushkin tapped in the rebound past Oettinger at 13:56 to tie the game 1-1. It was Nichushkin’s third goal of the season and second in as many games.

The Stars regained the lead just 32 seconds later on an odd-man rush. Marchment passed to Heiskanen, whose shot went off Georgiev’s back before Marchment poked it in at 14:28.

Dallas scored two more in the second period to take control. Benn made it 3-1 at 7:07 after Georgiev stopped Heiskanen’s shot and Benn put in the rebound for his fifth goal of the season. Hintz added another at 18:42, scoring on a one-timer from Wyatt Johnston for a 4-1 Dallas lead.

Colorado came back in the third period. Lehkonen scored just 1:02 into the period, as his shot was deflected by Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and past Oettinger for his fourth goal of the season.

Rantanen then cut the lead to 4-3 with his team-leading 15th goal at 8:03. Georgiev was pulled for an extra skater late in the game, but Marchment sealed the win for Dallas by scoring into the empty net at 17:17 for his ninth goal of the season.

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The Stars lost 6-4 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. Dallas had a 3-1 lead after the second period, but they allowed three goals in the first 8:09 of the third period and two more in the final 2:07.

“Next one’s always big after a loss,” said Stars forward Jamie Benn. “Obviously, we want to end this road trip with a win.”

The Blackhawks lost 3-2 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Chicago had a 2-0 lead going into the third period but let it slip away and gave up the winning goal just 1:06 into overtime.

The Blackhawks are now 6-1-2 when leading after the second period.

Chicago defenseman Alec Martinez, who has won three Stanley Cup titles, said confidence is key in keeping a lead.

“If you have experience where you’ve held those leads and been successful in that, then you fall back on your experience,” Martinez said. “There’s a knowing that, ‘We’re going to get this job done.’ It’s a process. Every team goes through it.”

Martinez also mentioned that players need to balance being aggressive and playing with caution while holding a lead.

“You’ve got to keep attacking,” he said. “If you just sit back and allow them to enter the zone, you increase the sample size. You give them more zone time and the odds are further and further stacked against you.”

Chicago coach Luke Richardson agreed, saying that holding a lead is about managing the puck and staying out of your own defensive zone.

“Eventually, it’s too much and it wears out all your good energy playing defense (rather) than creating offense, which is part of our problem offensively,” Richardson said.

The Stars are also hoping to improve their power play, which has been struggling. They’ve scored on only 1 of 15 power-play chances in their last six games, dropping them to 25th in the NHL for power-play efficiency (16.1 percent). Last season, they ranked sixth with a 24.2 percent success rate.

“It starts with breakouts,” said Stars forward Tyler Seguin. “More pucks to the net, for sure.”

In addition, the Stars’ penalty kill has been a problem. They gave up one short-handed goal and two power-play goals to Carolina.

“I liked most of our 5-on-5 game all night, but the special teams were a disaster,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “(One) short-handed goal, two power-play goals by them. You’re not going to win if your special teams look like that.”

If the Stars can win in Chicago, they will face a busy schedule in December, with nine home games and five on the road.

Dallas has been much better at home this season, with a record of 8-2-0, compared to 5-5-0 on the road.

“We’ve got to go out and execute,” said Benn. “The power play can make a big difference on the road. We just need to go out there with the confidence to make a difference in the game.”

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Necas passed the puck from the left circle to the low slot, where it deflected off Dallas defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin’s skate and past goalie Jake Oettinger. This goal gave Carolina the lead, which they held onto. Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-net goal with just 14.5 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Seth Jarvis scored a shorthanded goal and had two assists, while Necas and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist. Brent Burns also scored for the Hurricanes, who extended their home win streak to eight games. Spencer Martin made 15 saves on 19 shots to earn his second win.

Mason Marchment, Tyler Seguin, and Miro Heiskanen each scored a goal and had an assist for Dallas, with Matt Duchene adding two assists and Thomas Harley also scoring. Oettinger stopped 28 shots but could not prevent the loss, snapping Dallas’ two-game win streak.

Seguin gave the Stars a 1-0 lead just 18 seconds into the game by tapping in a pass from Marchment, which was the second-fastest opening goal of the season, only behind Nathan Walker’s 11-second goal for St. Louis.

Jarvis tied the game with a shorthanded goal at 6:36, but Harley put Dallas back in front midway through the first period with his second goal. Marchment made it 3-1 with his seventh goal early in the second period.

Carolina responded in the third period with three straight goals from Aho, Burns, and Gostisbehere, taking a 4-3 lead. Heiskanen tied the game with 5:16 left, scoring a wrist shot past Martin’s blocker side.

With 2:25 left in the game, Wyatt Johnston was called for high-sticking, giving Carolina a power play that led to Necas’ game-winning goal.

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