A wild night: Stars knock off Blue Jackets 6-5 in shootout
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page
Thursday night's game at the American Airlines Center wasn't one for the faint hearted. The Dallas Stars squandered a two-goal lead and then appeared to lose 13 seconds into overtime, but a favorable video review gave them new life and they took advantage, beating the Columbus Jackets 6-5 in a shootout.
"Give our guys credit. They hung in there and found a way to get points. That's what it's about right now," said Stars coach Dave Tippett.
It was a night that saw Loui Eriksson notch a hat trick and Brad Richards register four points (one goal, three assists).
It was a night for fans of physical hockey. There were a combined 81 hits in the game, including 41 in the first period. There were three fights, including one where Stars rookie James Neal bloodied Columbus rookie Derick Brassard.
It was a game that even though they lost the game, Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said his team won the game because the goal that waved off in overtime was really a good goal.
It was a game where the Stars had three players return to the lineup - Stephane Robidas, Joel Lundqvist and Steve Ott- but then lost defenseman Trevor Daley during the game.
It was a game that even though his team lost the game, Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said his team won the game because the goal that was waved off in overtime was really a good goal.
"It was a pretty weird game," said Ott. "There was a lot of back and forth stuff. We thought we lost and then we ended up winning in the shootout. We'll take the two points anytime."
But in the end the Stars won their second straight game, third in the last four and sixth in the last night to pull to within one game of the .500 mark (13-14-4).
"I think slowly but surely we are starting to get [our confidence] back," said Richards. "It's good the last couple of weeks with the exception of Nashville, we've had chances to win every night."
The Stars fell behind early on a goal by Columbus Rick Nash, but Eriksson quickly tied the game and once Columbus took the lead back again, Eriksson struck with 1.5 seconds left in the first period to tie the game at 2-2.
The Stars took control of the game, at least temporarily, by cashing in on both ends of a five-on-three power play early in the second period. Eriksson scored off a feed my Mike Ribeiro to put the Stars up 3-2 and give him the hat trick.
"It was my first hat trick and it was awesome, a great feeling," said Eriksson. "All my goals had great passes. I'm getting a lot of good passes. I'm trying to be more in front, and the puck is going in right now. It's fun right now. I think confidence is a big thing, I'm getting a lot of ice time and it's always fun to be on the ice and help the team win."
After that third goal Eriksson was on a run where he had scored the Stars last five goals, including both goals in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime win over Phoenix.
"He's been a great player for us all year but the last couple games he's been outstanding," said Tippett.
Matt Niskanen scored on the five-on-four portion of the power play to make it a 4-2 game. After Columbus cut it to 4-3, Richards scored off a back hand shot to make it a 5-3 game with 11:03 left in the second period. But Columbus scored late in the second and then Nash scored with 2:46 left in regulation to tie the game.
Columbus appeared to win it 13 seconds into overtime when Manny Malhotra drove the net and scored on the rebound of his own shot, but a video review determined he kicked the puck into the net and the Stars dodged a bullet.
Columbus claimed victory.
"We won the hockey game," Hitchcock said. "It was a good goal. They can put up whatever score they want. That player did not try to kick it in. It was a great victory."
A few big saves by Turco got the game to the shootout, where Richards and Ribeiro scored and Turco stopped both shots he faced to give the Stars the win and the two points.
"We said it last game and I'll say it again - It's not pretty but we'll take it," said Tippett.
Notes: There was no immediate update on Stars defenseman Trevor Daley, who left Tuesday's game with an apparent leg injury. ... The Stars announced before the game that defenseman Sergei Zubov would have hip surgery in January. He is out for the season. ... Forward Chris Conner was assigned to Peoria (AHL) on Thursday. ...
| First Period |
|
There were just 11 shots on goal in the first period, but four goals scored in a physical first period that featured a combined 41 hits by the two team. Columbus took the lead 1:34 into the game when the Blue Jackets scored on a delayed penalty when Rick Nash scored off the rebound of a R.J. Umberger shot off the rush. The Stars answered at 3:57 when Loui Eriksson sent chipped the puck behind the net to Brad Richards and went to the front of the net, where he took a pass from Richards and beat Columbus goalie Pascal Leclaire at the 3:57 mark. Columbus took the lead at the 10:02 mark of the period with a power play goal. Kris Russell hit Derick Brassard with a pass and Brassard split the Stars' defense, broke in on Marty Turco and slipped the puck into the Dallas net. The Stars tied the game with 1.5 seconds remaining in the period when Joel Lundqvist came up with a loose puck in front of the Columbus net and slipped the puck to Eriksson, who scored from close range for his 16th goal of the season. The play was helped by Columbus taking an ill-advised icing call with 21 seconds left that set up an offensive zone draw for the Stars. There were two fights in the period. Stars
forward James Neal pounded Brassard, leaving the Blue Jackets
forward bloodied. Brassard did not return to the game. He injured his shoulder and will be out three to four weeks. Moments
later Stars forward Krys Barch and Columbus' Jared Boll dropped
the gloves. |
| Second Period |
|
The two teams scored five goals on 17 shots in the second period and when it ended the Stars held a 5-4 lead. The Stars took a 4-2 lead when they scored on both ends of a 1:54 five-on-three power play chance early in the period. Eriksson scored his third goal of the night when he took a pass from Mike Ribeiro and scored from close range at the 1:20 mark. Just 1:19 later Matt Niskanen scored on the five-on-four portion of the power play with a shot from the point and it was a 4-2 lead. The Blue Jackets cut the lead to 4-3 a little more than one minute later when Nash made a great play to weave through traffic and create a chance and a scramble in front of Turco. Nash then set up Umberger, who put the puck into the open side of the net from close range. The Stars got the two goal lead back when Leclaire couldn't cover a puck in his crease, Richards got it and backhanded it into the net at the at the 8:57 mark. The Blue Jackets made it a one-goal game at the 14:38 mark when Kristian Huselius scored off the rebound of his own wrap-around attempt. There was another fight in the second. This time it was Barch against Columbus defenseman Mike Commodore. Score after second period: Dallas 5, Columbus
4 |
| Third Period |
|
The Blue Jackets tied the game with 2:46 left in
regulation when Nash scored off the rebound Fedor Tyutin point
shot.
Score after third period: Dallas 5, Columbus 5 |
| Overtime |
|
Columbus appeared to win the game 13 seconds into
overtime when a hard charging Manny Malhotra appeared to score
off the rebound of his own shot, but a video review of the goal
determined that he kicked the puck into the net and overtime
continued.
The Blue Jackets ended up with a 6-2 shots advantage, but Turco came up with big stops including great saves on Huselius and Umberger. Leclaire had a good stop on a point blank shot by Ribeiro. Score after overtime: |
| Shootout |
|
Dallas: Richards, Ribeiro |
| Official Scoresheet | Official Super Stats |
