When Alex Goligoski scored 2:43 into the third period to tie the score at 2-2, the Stars looked to have finally awoken from their scoring slumber in the first two periods, but Saku Koivu’s hat trick and game-winning goal helped secure a 5-2 Tuesday night, home victory for the Anaheim Ducks.
Koivu’s second of the game broke the tie at 3-2 as Teemu Selanne burst up the left wing side, drop passed to Koivu, who sent the shot five-hole through Stars’ goalie Kari Lehtonen, whose 21 saves weren’t enough to make up for the Stars’ slow start.
The Stars seemed to be the superior team the first two periods, despite being down 2-0. Koivu opened the game’s scoring on the Ducks’ first shot of the game as Toni Lydman sent a low point shot through the slot, where Koivu out-positioned Goligoski and deflected it past Lehtonen inside the right post. Koivu added an empty net goal for the Ducks’ second straight hat trick with Corey Perry’s hat trick coming two nights before against Columbus.
Luca Sbisa’s wrist shot from the boards past Lehtonen’s left shoulder made it a two goal deficit for the Stars midway through the second period.
But the Stars were determined to find the back of the net as Steve Ott got the Stars right back in the game to start the third period. Ott came skating down by the left point and a rifled a slap shot past the glove of Anaheim goalie Jeff Deslauriers, who is filling in for injured former Stars netminder Dan Ellis.
Deslauriers’ 26 saves helped Anaheim earn their third straight win, but still trail the Stars by 15 points in the Western Conference standings.
Matt Beleskey made it 4-2 as he deflected the puck mid-air off a wrist shot rebound from Kari Lehtonen’s right pad.
Goligoski’s wrist shot beat Deslauriers high, glove side, nearly the exact place in net as Ott’s goal just 64 seconds before.
Benn, who extended his points streak to five games rattled a wrist shot off the crossbar on the power play and had a chance to tie the game nine minutes into the first period after Koivu’s first goal with two consecutive swipes at an open net, but misfired on each chance.
Dallas plays the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Thursday as they face another Pacific Division rival. Puck drop is at 9:30.
Three Stars of the game:
1. Saku Koivu
2. Jeff Deslauriers
3. Steve Ott
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