In Dallas, the Stars and visiting Anaheim Ducks traded goals throughout regulation on Thursday night sending the game to an extra session when Thomas Harley scored with 38 seconds gone in extra time for a 4-3 win.
“Everyone loves scoring goals, everyone loves winning,” Harley said. “Definitely nice when I get it. I like that a little bit more. It’s another two points in the bank.”
Jake Oettinger made 18 saves in the win.
The Stars improved to 29-13-6,
Dallas took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a strike by Matt Duchene at 2:22.
The Ducks replied when Urho Vaakanainen hit for his first career NHL goal at 15:10 for a 1-1 tie after the first 20 minutes.
In the middle frame, the Ducks took a 2-1 lead on a goal from Troy Terry at 1:28.
This time it was Dallas on the reply with a strike by Craig Smith at 6:44 for a 2-2 tie.
The Ducks dropped to 16-30-2.
“One of the things they did really well was they shot pucks from distance to the net, and they funneled bodies there,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “They’re a big team and they skate well, so when they do throw pucks down and have bodies driving the net, it’s hard to defend. They got a lot of secondary shots off of rebounds.”
With 12 seconds gone in the third period, the Ducks reclaimed the lead, 3-2, on a marker form Jakob Silfverberg.
“There’s a real good composure to our group,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “There’s never a panic on the bench if we’re down in a game. I think there’s an underlying confidence in our group that we are going to score at some point and get back in it.”
Miro Heiskanen forced the extra session when he tied the game, 3-3, midway through the third frame.
“It might take him a little bit here,” Duchene said of Heiskanen’s return. “Hopefully he can feel better and better. I thought he looked great. The whole thing is, for however many weeks you’re out, it’s one game or game-per-week type thing. That’s what a wise, older guy told me when I was younger, and I always felt that to be true when I was coming back from injury.
“Obviously, a huge goal. That goal does a lot for confidence. For me, he’s one of the best [defensemen] in the League. It’s tough to find guys much better out there than that if there is any. He’s a welcome guy back in our lineup.”
John Gibson made 40 saves in the loss.
“We’ve been spoiled all year, maybe all the 11 years I’ve been here, we’ve had great goaltending,” Silfverberg said. “It was no different tonight. [Gibson] was obviously terrific there. He made some really big saves and kept us in the game. I think they probably out-chanced us, but he made some key saves at key times and managed to hang us in there.”
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