MONTREAL — In an exciting showdown on Saturday night, Jason Robertson secured the victory for the Dallas Stars against the Montreal Canadiens, netting the decisive goal in the shootout and leading his team to a 2-1 win. This victory marks the Stars’ seventh consecutive win, showcasing their impressive form.
During the shootout, Robertson managed to score the sole goal while goalie Jake Oettinger demonstrated his skills by denying Patrik Laine, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki, highlighting his strong performance throughout the match. In addition to Robertson’s shootout goal, Jamie Benn also contributed by scoring during regulation, helping the Stars end the Canadiens’ recent three-game winning streak.
On the other side, goaltender Sam Montembeault also had a standout game for Montreal, making a remarkable 34 saves. Despite the loss, the Canadiens have shown resilience and have only stumbled three times in their last 12 games, indicating their competitive spirit this season.
Key takeaways from the match include Montembeault’s excellent performance in goal, notably stopping a scoring attempt from Robertson with a fantastic glove save during overtime. Playing their second game in as many nights, the Canadiens, after an intense battle against the Washington Capitals, faced their challenges with 16 shots allowed in the first period. Yet, they managed to limit the Stars’ quality chances effectively.
The Stars maintained their reputation for a solid defensive game, entering the match with the second-lowest goals-against average per game (2.50). They successfully kept the Canadiens from threatening Oettinger significantly during the match.
A pivotal moment came late in the second period. After Laine scored a powerful one-timer goal on a 5-on-3 power play, Benn quickly responded, finding the top-left corner of the net just 2:26 later during an odd-man rush, leveling the score at 1-1 before heading into the final period.
A notable statistic emerged from Laine’s play; all nine of his goals this season have been scored during power plays from the left circle. This achievement places him in elite company alongside Canadiens legend Yvan Cournoyer, who is the only player aside from Laine to score their first nine goals of a season entirely on power plays.
Looking ahead, the Canadiens are set to start a two-game road trip against the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars will travel to face the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, aiming to extend their winning streak further.
