Dallas Stars Light Up The Ice, Score Early And Often In Trouncing Of Blackhawks
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — On Tuesday night, forward Joel Kiviranta scored 100 seconds in and added an assist, while rookie Jason Robertson had four assists for his first four-point game, helping the Dallas Stars trounce the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1.
Joe Pavelski got his team-best 13th goal for the Stars. Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist, and defensemen Jamie Oleksiak, John Klingberg and Esa Lindell also scored. Anton Khudobin stopped 21 shots for Dallas, which has won two of three by a combined 11-1 after dropping four straight games.
Dallas is seventh in the Central Division with 21 points in 21 games. The Stars are chasing fourth-place Chicago, currently holding down the division's last playoff spot with 31 points in 27 games. The teams meet again Thursday night in Dallas.
"Tonight puts us back in the playoff hunt," Stars coach Rick Bowness said. "With where we are in the battle for a playoff spot, you get about an hour to enjoy this."
Mattias Janmark scored for the Blackhawks, who have allowed six goals each in losing their last two games. Malcolm Subban made 31 saves.
Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane played his 1,000th NHL game nine days after scoring his 400th career goal.
"We didn't answer the bell," Chicago coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We get another chance, so the story isn't really any different. They're going to be desperate. They're trying to pull us back. They can make that gap look a little less insurmountable."
Kiviranta's third goal this season came at 1:40 of the first period on a one-timer on the rush after taking a pass from Hintz.
Oleksiak also scored his third of the season, gathering a rebound in the low slot off a wrist shot by Jamie Benn at 15:10 of the first. Benn's assist was his 700th career point.
Janmark whistled a one-timer from the right circle high on the short side for his ninth goal to pull Chicago to 2-1 at 1:43 of the second. But the Stars took control midway through the period with a power-play goal from Klingberg at 7:25 for his fourth, Pavelski's breakway at 9:55 on an outlet pass from Robertson and Lindell's wrist shot from near the blue line at 11:25 for his third this season.
Hintz slapped at a puck in midair near the crease to score his sixth at 6:46 of the third period.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)