In Dallas Saturday, Antti Niemi made 31 saves to help the Dallas Stars to a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Antti Niemi – file photo by Jack Lima
The loss snapped a 10-game win streak that the Flyers rode to the top three of the Metropolitan Division.
“That’s a tough team to beat,” Stars forward Jason Spezza said. “We hope that can kind of help us springboard things.”
The Flyers took a 1-0 lead late in the opening period on a goal from Taylor Leier ,
“It was nice to get the guys out to a lead quick,” Leier said. “It was too bad we couldn’t hold onto it because the team has been playing exceptional the last handful of games. It didn’t work out today.”
Radak Faksa tied the game at 1-1 early in the middle frame.
WATCH: All Flyers vs. Stars highlights
Adam Cracknell scored the game-winner in the third period and Jamie Benn added an empty-netter to seal it.
The Stars helped themselves by staying out of the penalty box and giving the Flyers’ power play unit any opportunity. Dallas was called for one penalty and managed to kill it off.
“It’s huge at the end. I think that was a good penalty for Jordie to take. They were pushing hard and you never know if it could have stopped a goal,” Cracknell said. “Our penalty kill was up to the challenge.”
The Flyers still have games in hand on their opposition in the division and can make up ground with another streak.
“I don’t know if I learned anything through the streak. I think it was just a continuation by our group showing up and working hard together,” Philadelphia head coach Dave Hakstol said of the streak and his team’s effort’s each game. “I said it all along, I don’t think anyone has been too focused on any of the extra-curricular stuff. It’s been about the two points every night, and that’s what I was concerned with tonight and I think our guys will be as well. Two points that were available going into the third period, and we came up short.”
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