DALLAS — In an exciting matchup on Saturday, Matt Duchene played a pivotal role in the Dallas Stars’ 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Duchene’s performance included scoring a goal during a power play in the third period as well as sealing the game with an empty-net goal in the closing moments.

Duchene’s contribution at 8:50 in the third period came after Evgenii Dadonov opened the scoring in the first period and Jamie Benn added to the tally with a goal in the second period, granting the Stars a commanding 3-0 lead. The Blackhawks were not done yet, however; Ryan Donato managed to score just 44 seconds after Duchene, interrupting Jake Oettinger’s hopes for a shutout, and Connor Bedard brought the Blackhawks even closer with a goal at 14:15 in the third period. In the dying seconds of the game, Duchene took advantage of a solo opportunity, netting an unassisted goal with just 17.7 seconds remaining, marking his sixth goal of the season.

Jake Oettinger was solid in goal for the Stars, recording 22 saves throughout the match. This victory marked a significant achievement for the Stars, as it reflects their strong start to the season with five straight wins at home, the first such streak since their Stanley Cup season in 1998-99. On the other side of the ice, Chicago’s Petr Mrazek put in an effort with 26 saves during a challenging back-to-back situation for the Blackhawks, who had lost previously to Nashville by a score of 3-2 at home.

Miro Heiskanen recorded two assists for the Stars, while Chicago’s Patrick Maroon also contributed with two assists, showcasing a collaborative effort despite their defeat.

In other notes, Mrazek was compelled to play two games consecutively due to the illness of backup goalie Arvid Soderblom. As the Stars prepare for a trip to Europe for the Global Series next week, they are also managing a demanding schedule, having played nine games in just 17 days.

A key moment in the game came when Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell and Heiskanen were penalized for fouling Bedard and Philipp Kurashev, but the Stars’ resilience was evident as they maintained the league’s top penalty kill percentage at 92.3%, successfully neutralizing all three power play attempts from the Blackhawks.

Looking ahead, the Stars are set to face the Florida Panthers in Finland on November 1-2, while the Blackhawks will take on the Colorado Avalanche on Monday as part of a challenging five-game road trip.