In the past, when the Columbus Blue Jackets (26-20-7) visited the Dallas Stars, we could chalk it up to two free points on the schedule. Those days are gone – at least this season. The Blue Jackets still have trouble stopping pucks, allowing the fifth most goals in the NHL, but they are eighth in the league in scoring, showing that if you sleep on them, they can put up four or more goals on any given night. Sunday night in Texas, Columbus gave the Stars trouble for 40 minutes, and it took a strong third period for them to grind out the win.
Related: Stars Hit a Home Run With Granlund & Ceci Trade
On the one hand, Mason Marchment came back, and the shiny new toys from Saturday’s trade were in the lineup, so energy was high. On the other hand, there could have been chemistry issues after adding three players to a winning lineup. Not to mention sending players up and down from the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars. It turned out to be the former that mattered the most, as the Stars beat the Blue Jackets 5-3 on Sunday, despite not having a lead until the third period, for their fifth straight win.
Here are three takeaways from the night that was.
Stars Down But Never Out
If you haven’t been watching the Blue Jackets this season, you should. Especially right now. They had won 14 of their last 20 games before arriving in Dallas, and they played like it for most of the game, holding a one-goal lead on three separate occasions. That being said, no lead lasted longer than seven minutes, as the Stars dug in and evened up the score every time the Blue Jackets went ahead.
Last week against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Stars won their first game after being down heading into the third period – remarkable considering it was the end of January. While they weren’t trailing after 40 minutes, they were tied 3-3 and playing catchup all night. It took two Evgenii Dadonov goals in the last ten minutes of the game for the Stars to grind out the win, but they got the job done.
“I thought we grinded and battled and, a lot like the streak we’ve been on, we didn’t beat ourselves,” head coach Pete DeBoer said of his team’s efforts. “We found a way to weather the storm when we needed to and found a big goal when we needed to.”
In addition, it was a full team effort on the score sheet. Wyatt Johnston had a goal and two points, Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn each had an assist, Thomas Harley had two assists, and Marchment had a goal in his return – all players that are expected to produce. On this night, however, they couldn’t have done it without the team’s depth. Logan Stankoven had a goal, Dadonov had two, and Mikael Granlund had an assist in his first game with the club.
All around, they found a way to grind out a hard 5-3 win.
Marchment Shows No Rust
Marchment was one of the most consistent Stars this season before he took a puck to the face on Dec. 27. Through 33 games, he had 12 goals and 27 points and was a major bright spot on a fairly inconsistent offensive group.
Sunday night was his first game back after missing 17 contests, and it took only 13:36 before he hit the goal column.
“The legs felt pretty good. I mean, sometimes, it can take a little bit to get into the timing of things, but for the most part, I felt pretty good, and like I said, it’s nice to be back out there playing,” Marchment said. “I think there were games while I was out watching that easily could’ve gone the other way, and the guys really bared down and found a way. I think good teams find a way to win when you don’t have your best, and I thought we did that quite a bit.”
New Acquisitions Make Immediate Impact
The Stars acquired Granlund and Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon. They were both in the lineup on Sunday, and they fit in almost seamlessly. Granlund had an assist on Stankoven’s second-period goal, two shots on net, and played 16:40, ranked third in ice time among forwards. Ceci didn’t get on the score sheet, but he logged over 22 minutes – ranked third among defensemen – one shot, one shot-block, and two hits.
“You can tell right away that this team has been doing good. Everybody knows exactly what to do out there, so it is kind of nice to jump in on that one,” Granlund said. “I’m sure my game will get better as time goes on, and I get more comfortable and learn other guys’ tendencies and all that. It’s good to get the win in the first game and just move on from here.”
Ceci shared Granlund’s sentiment. “It was nice to get a win in our first game here. This is a really good hockey team. It’s fun to be a part of. It’s fun to win games.”
Stars Saving Their Best for the Final Stretch
The Stars couldn’t get out of the third spot in the Central Division for most of the first half of the season and found themselves slipping down to a wild-card spot every so often. There was also that one day when they were out of the playoffs entirely.
Now, they have been the hottest team in the NHL since Christmas, racking up 29 points in that span with a 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and 12-4-0 in 2025. Their home record is now 20-7-1, one of the best in the NHL, and after entering the Christmas break with an 8-8-0 road record, they are now 14-10-0 away from American Airlines Center.
They may be eight points back of the division-leading Winnipeg Jets, but the Stars have morphed back into the Stanley Cup contenders we all thought they would be. Maybe the roster will look different after the trade deadline. Maybe it won’t. One thing is for sure, though. Any doubt about the Stars has slowly drifted away, and hopes are high that the team will be battling for the Stanley Cup in June.
