Stars Lose To Blue Jackets
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DALLAS — Defenseman Kevin Connauton’s first game back in Dallas since the Stars placed him on waivers in November was a happy return as he scored the game-winner for the Blue Jackets in a 4-2 win against the Stars on Tuesday night at American Airlines Center.
Connauton, who played 44 games for the Stars before being waived earlier this season, delivered the eventual game-winning goal early in the second period with a slap shot from near the Dallas blue line that Stars backup goaltender Anders Lindback never saw.
“I went in tonight with the mentality it’s just another game. But I think anyone could agree that when you kind of get pushed aside by someone and come in and have some success against them, it’s a good feeling,” Connauton said. “It was nice and weird at the same time, but like I said, the fact we walked out of here with a win is a good feeling.”
Left winger Nick Foligno had three assists, center Ryan Johansen a goal and an assist and left winger Scott Hartnell two assists for Columbus (18-17-3), who won for the fourth straight time in Dallas.
Defenseman James Wisniewski and center Mark Letestu also scored for
the Blue Jackets while goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 of 26 shots.
“Well, it was a good win for the guys. We battled hard, 60 minutes. I thought we could have managed the puck a little bit better in the third period, made it a little bit hard on ourselves, but the guys stuck with it,” Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said.
Dallas (18-15-6) got goals from left wingers Ales Hemsky and Antoine Roussel.
The visitors struck first when Wisniewski gave Columbus a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season 5:21 into the game. Wisniewski’s snap from the high slot deflected off Hemsky’s stick before traveling through the five-hole of Lindback.
Lindback was making just his fifth start of the season for Dallas, ending a string of 12 consecutive starts by starting goaltender Kari Lehtonen.
“He’s had a long spell (between games),” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of Lindback. “We probably needed another save out of him. He committed a little too early on a couple, and it’s not easy.”
Columbus made it 2-0 at 7:26 of the first period when Johansen beat Lindback top shelf from the right circle with a power-play goal. Hartnell picked up his second assist of the game with a solid cross-ice pass from the left circle, which Johansen quickly converted.
Johansen now has an eight-game point streak.
Connauton’s goal 3:57 into the middle frame gave Columbus a 3-0 lead but Dallas answered with goals by Hemsky and Roussel to make it 3-2 at the second intermission.
“This is a fun time right now. We’re stringing together quite a few wins in the last month or so, making a good push,” Connauton said.
Hemsky scored his fifth goal of the season with a slap shot at 7:15 of the second from the right circle that beat Bobrovsky far post. Stars center Jason Spezza appeared to screen Bobrovsky on the play as Hemsky’s shot traveled into the far side of the Dallas net.
“It was just a good pinch from Erik (Cole), and I got the puck kind of at the blue line and tried to cut it around him. I didn’t too much space, just tried to put it on the net and luckily it went in,” Hemsky said.
The Stars then made it a one-goal game with 6:46 remaining in the second when a shot by left winger Ryan Garbutt deflected in off Roussel. Garbutt had intercepted a wayward backhand pass by Atkinson inside the right circle before sending the puck toward the net, a wrist shot from the slot which then deflected off Roussel’s skate for his 10th goal of the season.
Columbus iced the victory when Letestu scored his fourth goal of the season off the rush with 2:58 remaining in regulation.
Lindback stopped 16 of 20 shots for Dallas.
