Stars Snap Blues’ Record Win Streak – Benn Strikes Twice

DALLAS — Stars captain Jamie Benn had his first multi-goal game since early October and Dallas beat St. Louis 5-2 on Thursday night, ending the Blues’ franchise-record 11-game winning streak.

Jamie Benn, Ivan Barbashev
Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn controls the puck in front of St. Louis Blues left wing Ivan Barbashev. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

When Benn scored the game’s first goal 3:46 into the second period, the Blues trailed for the first time since Feb. 5 — a span of more than 517 minutes on the ice over 10 games.

Radek Faksa and Alexander Radulov put Dallas up 3-0 with goals in a 65-second span midway through the second period.

The Stars snapped a three-game losing streak in which they were shut out twice.

Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington entered the game with a 13-1-1 record and was riding a nine-game winning streak that was a rookie team record. The only other time he allowed four goals was Jan. 21 against the Los Angeles Kings, 4-3 in the last loss for him and the team.

Anton Khudobin stopped 43 shots while starting his seventh consecutive game for the Stars. Regular starting goaltender Ben Bishop, who missed the previous six games with an upper body injury, was active and on the bench as the backup after going through an optional practice Wednesday.

Benn scored his second goal of the night, and 21st of the season, when he redirected a flying puck with his stick with four minutes left in the second period to make it 4-1. His only other multi-goal game this season came Oct. 6, when he scored twice in a win over Winnipeg in the second game of the season.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 27th goal for the Blues on an assist from Ryan O’Reilly, who got his 24th goal of the season in the closing seconds of the second period.

Except for Tyler Seguin’s empty-net goal in the final minute, all of the scoring was in the second period.

NOTES: The Blues were without C Brayden Schenn, who sustained an upper-body injury in their 3-2 overtime win against Toronto on Tuesday night. Coach Craig Berube isn’t sure how long the injury will keep Schenn (11 goals, 28 assists) out of the lineup. … Blues D Joel Edmundson broke his stick in two when he slammed it across the post following Benn’s second goal. Edmundson had Benn pushed into the corner just before the score. … Brett Ritchie of the Stars and Colton Parayko got five-minute majors for fighting after trading several hard punches in the second period.

UP NEXT

Blues: At Boston on Saturday.

Stars: Play their third home game in a row, Saturday against Carolina.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press