After a lackluster performance in the first 40 minutes, the Dallas Stars (50-21-4) exploded with four goals in the third period, on their way to a 5-1 win over the Nashville Predators (27-41-8). The Stars have now won seven in a row.
Mikael Granlund, Mason Marchment, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, and Lian Bichsel were the goal scorers for the Stars. Jake Oettinger made 28 saves.
Steven Stamkos scored the lone goal for Nashville. Justus Annunen made 22 saves.
Game Recap
It took a little under 25 minutes for the 0-0 tie to be broken, as Stamkos put the Predators on the board at 4:37 of the second period. Stamkos took a wrist shot from a tight angle on the right side of Oettinger that beat the Dallas netminder through his five-hole.
Granlund tied the game at 19:24 on a nifty tip-in from a Matt Duchene shot from the right circle that went straight up and over the right shoulder of Annunen.
The Stars struggled to find any offense in the first 39 minutes of the hockey game, and were outshot 21-9 at one point in the second period. The Predators led 26-15 in shots at the end of the second period, but entered the third tied 1-1.
Dallas started the third like they finished the second, as Marchment scored his 20th of the season on a snap shot that beat Annunen through the five-hole.
At 5:47, Hintz finished off a perfect Rantanen-Robertson-Hintz give-and-go with a tip-in at the left side of the crease. That goal was Hintz’s 28th of the season.
On a breakaway, Johnston broke the game open at 9:45 with a fake-out move on Annunen that beat the goaltender around his right pad. Johnston has now scored in six straight games.
The Stars’ offensive explosion continued as Bichsel scored his third of the season, thanks to a beautiful saucer pass from Rantanen along the right boards that found Bichsel alone in the high slot. With the assist, Rantanen now has 700 career points.
The Stars were outshot 29-27, but won by a final score of 5-1. Nashville went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Dallas went 0-for-4.
Up Next
The Stars are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Predators will have a few nights off before hosting the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night.
