Kari Lehtonen made 24 saves with his 15th win of the season and Mike Ribero notched two goals as the Dallas Stars put together a sixty minute road effort, defeating the Nashville Predators 4-1.
The Stars have shown this season how successful they can be with good defensive play and solid goaltending, as their record when allowing fewer than three goals this season is a stellar 19-1.
Mike Ribero scored his prettiest goal of the year 4:18 into the game, deking his way through the Predator defense, beating two defenders as Loui Erikkson took his man to the net. Ribero slipped it backhand past Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, who had dropped to his knees attempting to poke check the puck away.
Lehtonen was key early in the first period, sustaining the constant pressure Nashville was applying with big stops on odd man rushes, but eventually the Predators bursted Lehtonen’s bubble.
Jordin Tootoo wheeled around the back of the net on the cycle, centered a pass to Borque who immediately ripped it low, glove side on Lehtonen for his first career NHL goal, fulfilling what seemed like an inevitability after Nashville had several scoring chances in the first eight minutes.
The Stars counterpunched with under 40 seconds left in the period with good net drive by Ribero on a distant wrist shot from defenseman Nick Grossman. The shot from the point handcuffed Rinne and Ribero swooped in to tap in his second goal of the night.
Benn nearly made it 3-1 with a wrist shot from the slot, off good fore-checking by Steve Ott and Eriksson, but he just missed as it clanged off the right post with just seconds remaining in the period.
The Stars’ center and leading scorer this season with 39 points got another opportunity midway through the second period off a careless turnover behind Nashville’s net and Benn caught Rinne looking the wrong way for the easy goal.
Seconds after Benn’s goal, Dallas took a penalty but Ott stole a pass at the blue line and sped down the ice, but was hauled down and he earned a penalty shot that he missed high blocker on Rinne. His frustration led him to smashing his stick repeatedly as he entered his bench.
The Stars added to their two goal lead in the third period when Benn forced a turnover in Nashville’s zone that he passed to Tom Wandell, who immediately sent a slap shot towards Rinne that deflected off Adam Burish and snuck under Rinne’s blocker.
Game Notes:
Stephane Robidas returned for the Stars after a six game absence with a lower body injury. Mark Fistric answered the bell by fighting Tootoo, the Preds’ enforcer 1:46 into the game. This was likely a response to Fistric putting Shea Weber on the shelf for four games with concussion like symptoms. Ribero took a puck to the face off a Trevor Daley shot early in the second period that lost Ribero a few teeth and required several stitches. Ribero returned later in the period with a cage on his helmet.
Three Stars:
Mike Ribero
Kari Lehtonen
Jamie Benn
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