Mikheyev, Blackhawks Defeat Stars 4-3

Game Recap
What’s Next?

The Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars faced each other for the second time in a week. The last time these two teams faced off on Dec. 27 in Dallas, the Blackhawks won 4-3 in a shootout in an invigorating back-and-forth game.

Now, both teams were looking to get back in the win column. The Blackhawks were coming off 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Dec. 30. The Stars were on a three-game losing streak, and were on the second-half of a back-to-back after a 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 31.

The Blackhawks started the New Year with a 4-3 win.

Game Recap

The game started with Dallas’ Roope Hintz getting a chance against Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight. The Stars also hit the post on a short-handed opportunity, but the Blackhawks also had chances, and they opened up the scoring with an Artyom Levshunov power play goal, 1-0. Mikko Rantanen had the equalizer for the Stars, 1-1, three minutes later. There was a lot of sustained pressure for the Blackhawks at the end of the first period, and Nils Lundkvist took a cross checking-penalty as time expired, which left Chicago with a power play to start the second period. Shots on goal were tied 6-6.

With the power play to open the second period, Teuvo Teräväinen made it 2-1 for the Blackhawks. It seemed like there were a lot of self-inflicted wounds for Dallas in that period. They took two more penalties; one was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Miro Heiskanen, and the other was a Justin Hryckowian delay of game penalty. The Blackhawks didn’t score on those opportunities, but they did add to their lead, 3-1, with an Ilya Mikheyev goal. Shots were 11-10, Chicago.

Ilya Mikheyev Chicago Blackhawks — Chicago Blackhawks right wing Ilya Mikheyev celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars (David Banks-Imagn Images)

In the third period, Mikheyev scored his second goal of the game that beat goaltender Jake Oettinger to make it 4-1, Blackhawks. The Stars had chances stopped by Knight, like one from Colin Blackwell, but the Blackhawks had a lot of sustained pressure in the period. Louis Crevier took an interference penalty, and the Stars were unable to convert.

The Stars had an empty net with less than four minutes left, and Jason Robertson scored to make it 4-2. Dallas played with the empty net for the rest of the game, and Matt Duchene made it 4-3 with 16 seconds left, but their push came too little too late. Chicago won the game. Shots were 25-21, Dallas in the game.

What’s Next?

The Blackhawks will head to Washington, D.C., to face the Washington Capitals on Jan. 3. Meanwhile, the Stars will head home and face the Montreal Canadiens on a matinee game on Jan. 4.