Mantha Helps Red Wings Beat Stars 3-1 For 3rd Win In 4 Games
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The Detroit Red Wings bounced back on the power play and shut down the Dallas Stars when they had an extra skater or two.
Anthony Mantha scored the go-ahead goal with the man advantage midway through the second period, and Detroit beat Dallas 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Dylan Larkin also scored and Petr Mrazek stopped 34 shots for the Red Wings, who are 3-0-1 in the last four games for their best stretch in more than a month.
"If we play the way we've played the last three, four games, you'll see some wins coming our way," Larkin said.
Mantha and Larkin scored on the power play, ending the Red Wings' 0-for-14 drought with an extra skater over the previous five games.
"The chemistry is coming along and we proved it the last few games that we can score goals," Mantha said.
The Stars, meanwhile, didn't score on any of their five power plays, including a 5-on-3 opportunity that lasted 46 seconds midway through the third.
"That was a specialty teams win and our goalie was real good," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "We've said you've got to win games on specialty teams lots in the league."
Kari Lehtonen made 17 saves for the Stars. He was pulled for an extra skater with more than 2 minutes left, and the Red Wings took advantage when Steve Ott scored an empty-net goal to make it 3-1 with 1:03 remaining.
Dallas, playing the second of back-to-back games on the road, has dropped two straight and won just three of its last nine overall.
"We're going to win a lot of games if we play that way," coach Lindy Ruff said.
The Stars got off to a strong start, scoring 16 seconds into the game when Esa Lindell's shot was redirected off the right skate of Detroit defenseman Mike Green. But they couldn't get the puck past Mrazek again.
"He stood on his head," Larkin said.
Detroit made it 1-all with a goal off a Dallas player when Larkin's shot went off one of Jordie Benn's skates with 39 seconds left in the opening period.
"On the road, you've got to win the special teams battle," Stars center Jason Spezza said. "We found a way to lose. We have to find a way to win. The power play has to capitalize and we had a two-man advantage. I had two good looks."
NOTES: Dave Strader, the Stars' TV play-by-play announcer, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, attended the game and announced the team's lineup in the locker room beforehand. ... Dallas made its final scheduled appearance at Joe Louis Arena, which will be replaced by a new arena next season. ... Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay dropped the ceremonial puck before the game. ... Detroit's Tomas Jurco made his season debut, returning from offseason back surgery. ... Dallas D Stephen Johns, called up Sunday, went off late in the game with a towel over his face to try to stop bleeding.
UP NEXT
Stars: Dallas stays on the road, playing Thursday night at Pittsburgh.
Red Wings: Detroit hosts Florida on Thursday.
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