The sweep of the NHL from Friday starts in Dallas where the Stars thumped the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2.
Jamie Benn had a goal in big third period for Dallas – – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza led the Stars offense with a goal each and two points each on the night.
“They’re a team we have a lot of respect for, and they’re a tough team to play against,” Spezza said. “Special teams was good, penalty kill got some huge kills at the start of the game. It was a good win for us.”
Antoine Roussel and Ales Hemsky added goals in the win.
The win pushed the Stars into first place in the Central.
“The St. Louis game (a 3-2 shootout loss Wednesday) was all right, but tonight’s game was not good at all,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “Our special teams had probably as bad a night as you could have.”
The Hawks got goals from Teuvo Teravainen and Tomas Fleischmann.
Up next for Dallas are the St Louis Blues.
“St. Louis might be the best team in the League right now [with] the way they’re playing, and they’re healthier,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “[Saturday the] task is going to be even a little more daunting than putting things together the way we did [against Chicago], changing lines around and coming up with the effort we did.”
The Stars can put space between themselves and the Blues and Blackhawks by the end of the weekend.
“We got done what we wanted to get done. I thought we slowed their attack and won the special-teams battle,” Ruff said. “That was a real big team effort from goaltender through the defense, our young defense. I thought the forwards did a heck of a job supporting them.”
In Calgary, the visiting Arizona Coyotes got two goals from Brad Richardson and defeated the Flames, 4-1.
Boyd Gordon and Antoine Vermette also scored for the Yotes.
“We kind of know the situation we’re in, but we’re trying to push, trying to become a better team,” Richardson said. “There’s a lot of young guys here that are kind of learning their way. These are big games for all of us. We’re trying to get better as a team and grow as a group.”
Mikael Backlund was the lone goal scorer for the Flames.
“It’s one of those games, especially against them, it’s always tight-checking and you know you’re not going to get a ton of chances and you have to capitalize on them,” Calgary coach Bob Hartley said. “We hit a post, we had a couple chances that went wide off rebounds where Domingue was beaten. We were not sharp enough around the other team’s net.”
Vermette’s goal came on the power play, something the Coyotes needed to spark some offense.
“It was an area we talked about between the second and third,” Vermette said. “Our power play needed to be generating a little more, a little better execution. I thought on that play, our entry was pretty good. We executed a few tight plays and eventually we used the width of the ice. I thought it was a great play by [Hanzal] to see me backdoor.”
Calgary defenseman Dennis Wideman made his return to the lineup after his suspension was reduced by an arbitrator.
He was suspended 20 games for hitting linesman Don Henderson from behind and served 19 games of the suspension.
In Tampa, the Philadelphia Flyers got power play goals from Sam Gagner and Matt Read and a goal from Brayden Schenn in a 3-1 win over the Lightning.
The Flyers defense clamped down on the Bolts and Steve Mason only had to make 18 saves for the win.
Sam Gagner scored in win over Bolts – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“The guys look like they are just overwhelming the opposition right now, which is great to see,” Mason said. “The effort is outstanding, and the reward is getting wins right now. We had a two-goal lead and we were able to get that third goal and that was huge against this team.”
Brian Boyle was the lone goal scorer for the Lightning.
“We are playing like a comfortable team that’s already in the playoffs,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “If we are going to play like that we won’t make it.”
Ben Bishop made 19 saves in the loss.
“It’s an important time of the year and every game means something,” Gagner said. “Our other [power-play] unit has been great for us so this group wanted to find a way to score some goals and we did that tonight.”
The Flyers are 6-1-0 in their last seven games.
“I think we’re a confident group right now,” Schenn said. “Everyone’s buying in, playing their roles, doing their jobs, and that’s resulting in wins. It’s nice to come here. It’s not an easy building to play in … our team seemed to struggle here a little bit. So it’s nice to come here and get two points.”
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