DALLAS — Roope Hintz netted two goals for the second time in the last eight games, boosting his total to a team-leading 18 goals, as the Dallas Stars triumphed over the Ottawa Senators with a score of 4-2 on Thursday night.
Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene also contributed goals, while Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston recorded two assists each for the Stars, who have now garnered points in five consecutive games—their first such streak this season. Goalie Jake Oettinger made 11 saves during the match.
The momentum shifted in favor of the Stars when Benn and Hintz scored just 1:08 apart in the second period, bringing the score to 3-2.
Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Greig had initially put the Senators ahead 2-1 with goals scored just 24 seconds apart in the first period. Leevi Merilainen, in goal for Ottawa, made 21 saves throughout the game.
Ottawa holds a record of 4-3-0 with two games remaining in a long nine-game road trip, the longest in franchise history, which stretches across both sides of the NHL’s Christmas break.
Robertson has been particularly productive recently, amassing 15 points over the last 11 games, and Johnston is currently on a five-game points streak. Tkachuk’s goal, marking his team-high 17th of the season, ended a four-game scoring drought. Greig, who also scored, has tallied goals in three consecutive games following a stretch of just one goal in the preceding 22 contests.
For the Senators, Merilainen has started four games since being called up from the AHL, owing to injuries affecting multiple goaltenders. Meanwhile, defenseman Artem Zub made his comeback to the lineup after being sidelined for 16 games due to a broken foot.
In terms of statistics, Ottawa’s 13 shots on goal are the fewest allowed by the Stars in a game since they held the Phoenix Coyotes to the same number in a 1-0 victory back on November 9, 2006.
A pivotal moment in the game arose during a 6-on-4 power play for the Senators in the game’s dying minutes, where Dallas’ penalty kill expertly prevented any shots on goal.
The Stars currently lead the NHL with an impressive home penalty kill rate of 92.1%, successfully neutralizing all four power plays against Ottawa.
Looking ahead, the Senators will wrap up a back-to-back matchup by facing the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, while the Stars will conclude their three-game homestand on Saturday night against Utah.
