NEW YORK — Jamie Benn netted a power play goal just 2:17 into overtime, leading the Dallas Stars to a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory against the struggling New York Rangers on Tuesday night. The Stars recovered from a daunting early deficit of three goals to secure the win.
Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger made an impressive 21 saves, while defenseman Thomas Harley contributed significantly to the scoreline with a goal and two assists. Harley’s crucial snap shot equalized the match at 4-4 in the third period after a critical turnover by Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller in a dangerous area.
Benn scored his 11th goal of the season during a power play, which sparked by Artemi Panarin’s penalty for hooking. He managed to tip in a well-placed centering pass from Jason Robertson, with Harley also credited with an assist on the play, which marked Dallas’ first lead of the night.
This win for the Stars denied New York goalie Jonathan Quick his 400th career victory. Earlier in the third, Vincent Trocheck briefly put the Rangers in front with a power-play goal at 12:56, but that lead was short-lived.
Trocheck and teammate Alexis Lafreniere both tallied two goals for the Rangers, who have been struggling with a record of 6-16-1 over their last 23 games. Panarin, who had three assists, helped set the stage for New York’s attacks. Despite coming fresh off a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, the Rangers have not been able to secure back-to-back victories since mid-November.
The Rangers started strong, racing to a 3-0 lead within the first 12 minutes of play. However, Dallas fought back with goals from Matt Duchene, Evgenii Dadonov, and Robertson, bringing them level. Quick ended the evening with 34 saves, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win for the home team.
Stats indicate that the Stars kick-started a five-game road trip with this victory, following a previous loss to the Rangers at home on December 20. In contrast, the Rangers continue to struggle at home, dropping to an overall record of 8-9-2 there, a stark contrast to last season’s impressive record of 30-11-0 at Madison Square Garden, which secured them the Presidents’ Trophy for the top team in the league.
Highlighting the game’s pivotal moments, Robertson’s skillful backhanded equalizer in the second period was key in keeping the fight alive for Dallas heading into the third period. As for individual achievements, Oettinger achieved a milestone by improving his record to 20-9-1, making him the third goaltender in the league this season to reach 20 wins.
Looking ahead, the Stars will face the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, while the Rangers will host the New Jersey Devils on the same night.
