CHICAGO — On a lively Sunday night, the Dallas Stars triumphed over the Chicago Blackhawks with a decisive score of 5-1. Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn each contributed significantly to the victory, registering a goal and two assists. The Stars displayed a strong offensive performance, with Jason Robertson, Evgenii Dadonov, and Wyatt Johnston each netting a goal and assisting another. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 24 saves to secure the win.
The loss marked the Blackhawks’ fourth consecutive defeat and placed them at a disadvantage in their season series against Dallas, losing three out of four matchups. Connor Bedard found the back of the net for the Blackhawks, marking his 10th goal of the season, while goaltender Arvid Soderblom stopped 30 shots in the loss. Looking ahead, Bedard and the Blackhawks are set to participate in the Winter Classic against St. Louis on Tuesday.
The turning point of the game came when Chicago’s Tyler Bertuzzi was ejected just over eight minutes into the second period for elbowing Colin Blackwell of the Stars. With Dallas seizing the opportunity, Robertson tallied a goal at the 8:23 mark, converting a wrist shot from the right circle, marking his first since December 14 and bringing his season total to eight. Dadonov then extended the Stars’ lead with a nifty finish, scoring his 10th goal with 5:14 remaining in the second period.
Key insights from the match indicate the Stars’ depth played a critical role in their dominance, with Miro Heiskanen contributing two assists. Conversely, the Blackhawks struggled to generate sufficient offensive opportunities, a recurring challenge throughout their season thus far.
An extraordinary moment came early in the third period when Wyatt Johnston’s stick broke right before he scored just 10 seconds in, resulting in his eighth goal of the season, courtesy of a pass from Duchene that deflected off Johnston and eluded Soderblom.
Statistically, the Stars have shown a strong performance against the Blackhawks, with a record of 12-3-0 since the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
Looking forward, the Stars will commence a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres, while the Blackhawks are preparing for their clash against St. Louis at Wrigley Field on the same day.
