Ducks’ 3-game win streak ends with shootout loss to Stars
DALLAS — The Ducks were hoping that the momentum they built before the NHL All-Star break would extend when games resumed, and they did earn a point on the road despite their season-best three-game winning streak coming to an end.
Tyler Seguin scored Dallas’ second shootout goal, and the Stars beat the Ducks, 3-2, on Monday night.
Nils Lundkvist and Roope Hintz scored in regulation for Dallas, and Arcadia product Jason Robertson also scored in the shootout. The Stars dropped three consecutive 3-2 decisions in overtime before the All-Star break.
Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger made 33 saves. He also stopped Adam Henrique and Trevor Zegras in the third and final shootout round, ending the game.
Oettinger, who went into play tied for second in the league with a 2.26 goals-against average, is 5-0-0 against the Ducks.
Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg scored in regulation for the Ducks, and Mason McTavish scored in the shootout. Ducks goaltender John Gibson stopped 39 shots through overtime.
“He’s our star player,” Silfverberg said, “and he showed that tonight.”
The Stars went 0 for 5 with the man advantage, including coming up empty on a 5-on-3 opportunity in the closing minutes of the second period.
The Ducks are last in the Pacific Division with 38 points, on course for their fifth consecutive losing season.
“I think when you’re in a rebuild like this, it’s easy to get down and check out once you get behind,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said, “but our guys seem to keep battling not only for the team but for each other.”
Lundkvist scored on a backdoor pass through the low slot from Radek Faksa out of the left corner at 8:28 of the first period. Lundkvist was a healthy scratch in four of Dallas’ five previous games.
Hintz tipped in a pass from the left boards by Denis Gurianov, putting Dallas ahead 2-0 at 7:35 of the second period.
Silfverberg and Henrique scored in an 86-second span midway through the third, tying the score at 2-all. It was Silfverberg’s sixth goal of the season and No. 19 for Henrique.
Ducks All-Star forward Troy Terry left with an upper-body injury after only three shifts.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Ducks defenseman John Klingberg returned to Dallas after spending his first eight seasons with the Stars. He acknowledged a video tribute by his first NHL team after being unavailable when the Ducks played in Dallas earlier this season.
“This is where I started my career,” Klingberg said, “and it’s always going to be a special place.”
Stars forward Jamie Benn was penalized in overtime for high-sticking Klingberg.
“I thought he dove,” Benn said.
DOSTAL EARNS AHL ALL-STAR HONOR
San Diego Gulls goaltender Lukas Dostal earned co-Most Valuable Player honors as the Pacific Division won the American Hockey League’s Mise-o-jeu AHL All-Star Challenge as part of the league’s All-Star Classic in Laval, Quebec. This was the first Challenge win for the Pacific Division since the league adopted a 3-on-3 format in 2017. The division previously appeared in the Challenge final in 2018, falling to the North Division All-Stars, 1-0.
Dostal, 22, shared co-MVP honors with Calgary Wranglers goaltender Dustin Wolf, becoming the first players to share the award since 2015. Dostal, who had two assists, is the third Gulls goaltender to participate in the AHL’s midseason skills showcase, joining Kevin Boyle (2019) and Anthony Stolarz (2020).
Dostal has a 3.04 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and three shutouts in 33 games with the Gulls this season. Dostal appeared in seven games with the Ducks from Dec. 12-23, going 2-3-0 with a 3.53 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
MILESTONE FOR BENN
Benn skated in his 1,000th NHL game, all with the Stars. His accomplishment was recognized during the first TV break.
“I always wanted to be a Star for life,” said Benn, in his 10th season as captain. “I don’t see myself putting on any other jersey, so a pretty special day today.”
Benn’s total is second in the history of the Minnesota-Dallas franchise behind Mike Modano’s 1,459 games.
UP NEXT
The Ducks finish a road back-to-back against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. PT.