Stars Lose To Red Wings
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DALLAS — In a game Detroit had little business winning, the Red Wings overcame a pair of two-goal deficits to edge the Dallas Stars 7-6 in overtime on Saturday night at American Airlines Center.
The Red Wings rallied thanks to two goals and two assists from center Pavel Datsyuk and a goal and an assist from defenseman Niklas Kronwall.
Dallas led 4-2 after two periods, but Detroit tied it early in the third with two goals from defenseman Jakub Kindl.
The Stars then went ahead 6-4 with goals from rookie left winger Curtis McKenzie and center Shawn Horcoff, but again the visitors answered.
Left winger Justin Abdelkader and Datsyuk each scored, with Datsyuk’s goal coming as Detroit had the extra attacker with 1:48 remaining.
Kronwall then beat Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen with a backhander 36 seconds into overtime to clinch the victory.
“We found a way to win the game, and when we needed the points, we found a way to get them,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said.
Detroit backup goaltender Jonas Gustavsson stopped two shots in relief of Jimmy Howard to pick up the win.
Dallas left winger and captain Jamie Benn, left winger Erik Cole and defensemen Trevor Daley and Horcoff each had a goal and an assist. Stars defenseman Jordie Benn contributed two assists.
Detroit (33-14-10) got a goal and an assist from
center Gustav Nyquist and two assists from center Tomas Tatar.
Dallas struck first when Jamie Benn scored off a rebound 12:42 into the game.
Detroit pulled even late in the first when Nyquist scored his 21st goal of the season with 3:03 remaining. Lehtonen got his blocker in front of Nyquist’s wrist shot from the slot, but the puck deflected off Lehtonen’s blocker and then his stick before going in.
The Red Wings took their first lead 9:20 into the second period when Datsyuk scored unassisted to make it 2-1. Datsyuk stole the puck from Stars rookie defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka and beat Lehtonen with a wrist shot that deflected off the far post and in for his 18th.
“We played not really good today, but we’re real happy with the win,” Datsyuk said.
The Stars responded with three goals in three minutes to lead 4-2 after two periods. Daley scored his 16th at 15:16 of the second after his wrist shot from the right circle struck Howard and sailed over the sprawling goaltender.
Dallas went ahead by two when a wrist shot from the left point by center Cody Eakin beat Howard short side at 17:02 as Howard was screened by McKenzie.
Dallas doubled its lead at 18:16 on Cole’s 17th goal of the season that made it 4-2.
The Red Wings tied it early in the third when Kindl, playing his first game since Dec. 27, 2014, scored twice in 45 seconds.
Kindl’s first came 56 seconds into the third when he beat Lehtonen far post with a slap shot from the high slot with Lehtonen screened by two players.
Kindl added a second at 1:41 of the third when he tapped in a Tatar pass.
Dallas pulled ahead again at 5-4 when a Jordie Benn slap shot from the left point deflected in off McKenzie.
Detroit lost left winger and captain Henrik Zetterberg for the third period after Zetterberg sustained an upper-body injury late in the second.
“I don’t have a clue on that,” Babcock said on Zetterberg’s status. “We’ll just monitor him tomorrow and see what happens.”
Horcoff then added his eighth goal of the season with 9:23 remaining, tapping in a Cole pass with Dallas on the power play. Horcoff’s goal chased Howard from the game. Howard stopped 28 shots before being replaced by Gustavsson.
Abdelkader then scored his 13th of the season when a Kronwall slap shot from the right point deflected in off him with 7:13 remaining and Detroit on the power play.
Datsyuk forced overtime with his second goal of the night with 1:48 remaining, scoring amid a flurry in front of the Dallas net. Abdelkader collided with Lehtonen and the Dallas bench pleaded for goaltender interference, but their complaints went unheard.
“It’s inexcusable,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of the non-call. “There’s no explanation. It ruined a hell of a hockey game, bottom line.”
