The undefeated streak rolls on as the Dallas Stars came back from a 2-0 hole to defeat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 to improve to 3-0-0 in the preseason.
Marco Rossi scored twice for the Wild in the final 64 seconds of the first period. Wyatt Johnston scored two of his own to tie the game, the second goal coming 35 seconds into the third period. The Stars proceeded to score three more to seal the deal.
Related: Stars Fight Back to Take Down Wild 5-2
Admittedly, it can be difficult to stay engaged long enough to take anything away from preseason hockey. However, that’s not the case after Thursday night. Let’s dive in.
Johnston and Bourque Have a Night In Minnesota
Thursday night was one of youth, whether it was established NHL players, or guys trying to play their way on to the big club, or at least to be the first call-up. There were a handful of veterans out there, but for the most part, this was a night for the young guns to show out, and show out they did.
To start, there’s a young man by the name of Wyatt Johnston who should have no need for introduction. Johnston scored at 16:17 of the second period to cut the Wild’s lead to 2-1, promptly tied the game 2-2 at the beginning of the third, and finished the night with three points. Johnston doesn’t need to prove anything in the preseason. He could finish the preseason minus-2000, and he’d still be lacing up for opening night. That being said, he did have a rough playoffs, so it’s good to see the 22-year-old come out of the gates flying.
Then, there’s Mavirk Bourque, who, entering his second full season with plenty to prove, had a terrific night to build on an already impressive preseason. On Johnston’s first goal, Bourque took a pass at the Minnesota blue line, shook off the defender with a nifty spin move at the right faceoff dot, and found Johnston in the slot with a backhand pass. He certainly has the potential to put pucks in the net, but it’s plays like this that will see him move up in the lineup as the season goes on.
Bourque added a goal of his own on the power play to essentially put the game away with six minutes left in the third period.
Benn’s Injury Leaves Plenty of Opportunity
After the morning skate on Thursday, general manager Jim Nill broke the unfortunate news that Stars captain Jamie Benn took a hit in Tuesday’s game against the Wild that collapsed his lung, which will keep him out for at least a month.
On a human level, this sucks. Benn is one of the best Stars to ever play; he’s the captain and loved in the locker room, and while it’s unclear if this will be his last season, he’s certainly nearing the end of a legendary career. On an on-ice level, this is problematic as well. The Stars already had a couple of holes in their top-six, and Benn’s injury certainly doesn’t help. That being said, with a roster that is already pretty much locked in, it does leave opportunity for guys to crack the lineup who probably wouldn’t have otherwise.
Justin Hryckowian, who was on the top line with Johnston and Bourque, has had an impressive camp so far and added to it on Thursday with two points, including the go-ahead goal. The 24-year-old Quebec native is gritty and plays with speed, and if he keeps on playing like this, he could very well be given a chance to prove he belongs with the big boys come opening night.
Adam Erne is another name to keep an eye on. The eight-season veteran signed a professional try-out contract (PTO) with the Stars last week and has played in every preseason game thus far. He may not be lighting up the scoresheet, but clearly, the Stars are giving him every opportunity to crack the roster.
The Stars Led In Hits…?
Now, I know it’s just the preseason, but if you’ve read my work or the work of any other Stars writer, or just watched last season for yourself, you know this is something that Dallas did not do very often, and it was a point of contention in the postseason specifically. In the regular season, the Stars threw out the fewest hits and simultaneously got hit the most.
Well, with the emergence of Lian Bichsel throughout last season, bringing back Radek Faksa, and adding Nathan Bastian, it’s obvious that this was something the Stars wanted to change moving forward.
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On Thursday night, the Stars outhit the Wild 31-22, led by four hits each by Bastian and Bichsel.
Again, I know this is the preseason, but it’s clear that head coach Glen Gulutzan is pushing his team early to have a more physical presence than they have had in seasons past.
Up Next
The Stars have four preseason games remaining. Next up is the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
