Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg figured it was simply his turn to find the back of the opposing net.
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In the Wild’s second straight game that went to overtime, John Klingberg, the Stars’ sensational 23-year-old defenseman, scored the sudden death tally on a night he also recorded two primary assists.
Dubnyk had 33 saves on the night and Lehtonen had 22.
Overtime-5, Dal, Klingberg 4 (Seguin, Ja.Benn), 3:18.
Overall, however, they’re 7-2-1 in their last ten despite a knee injury to captain Zach Parise, and they’re breathing Down Dallas’ neck for first place in the conference.
For two periods, it was a goalie duel between Dubnyk and Lehtonen.
“I thought we played well”. “They’re a good hockey team. We played a heck of a game”. Minnesota (10-3-3) had won three in a row. Yes, the Wild did not get the ultimate result that they wanted but for sure their effort was solid throughout. Benn has 12 goals and 25 points in 18 contests this season.
Minnesota has already dealt tith twice as many Western foes as has Dallas and they’re leading the league in that category with a 7-3-2 record already.
Dubnyk made several key saves after giving up a goal in the first.
Defenseman Marco Scandella provided a speedy response for the Wild, scoring to tie the game at 2-2 less than five minutes after the Stars took a lead in the third period.
The Stars jumped in front one second after their first power play ended in the first.
John Klingberg finally got a shot past his teammates with the Dallas Stars.
Blackhawks 4, Blues 2: Patrick Kane broke a tie late in the second period to extend his point streak to 12 games and lead Chicago over St. Louis. The Stars challenged the goal because of possible goaltender interference, but the call was upheld.
The Wild drew three power plays in the first two periods and wasn’t given credit for a shot.
Scandella, who returned to the ice after missing the previous two due to a family issue, made it 2-2 with his third goal of the season, a wrist shot from the high slot that deflected off the right skate of Benn before beating Lehtonen high on his glove side. They’ve both been good. “It’s pretty impressive really that he could not be on the ice all week and then come out and play the way that he did tonight”.
Lehtonen did a great job keeping it a 1-1 game after that, his best save coming on Charlie Coyle during a pressure-filled shift by Coyle, Chris Porter and Jordan Schroeder. Stars 1, Wild 1. “It’s nice to see”, Coyle said. “He was a horse, certainly one of our leaders there tonight just as far as the way that he was battling and competing and winning loose pucks and helping us get to our game”. Bulmer was recalled from AHL Iowa on Friday…. Wild G Devan Dubnyk was starting his eighth consecutive game…. Dallas’ Kari Lehtonen made 22 stops. These Central Division teams were facing one another for the first of five times this regular season….
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The overtime loss came in the midst of the Wild’s four game road trip, which they’ll split in half by returning back to Minnesota in the wee hours of Sunday. The Stars were playing the final game of a three-game homestand….
