DALLAS — Logan Stankoven shone brightly with two goals, and Roope Hintz racked up a personal best with four assists, leading the Dallas Stars to a commanding victory over the Los Angeles Kings, finishing 6-2 on Friday night.
Jason Robertson added his 25th goal of the season along with an assist, contributing to the Stars’ dominant performance as they returned to their home turf for the first time in nearly a month. Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each capitalized on power plays, while Sam Steel found the net with a short-handed effort.
The Stars took a definitive lead when Duchene made it 2-1 in the first period. His 24th goal of the season was a result of a skillful pass from Hintz, with Robertson providing a secondary assist.
In goal, Jake Oettinger was solid, saving 29 shots to secure his 28th victory of the season, positioning him second in the NHL for wins. Dallas almost extended their lead as two additional shots struck the post during the game. Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ goaltender, Darcy Kuemper, made 26 saves.
The Kings’ efforts included goals from Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore, the latter managing to slip a wraparound shot past Oettinger’s outstretched right skate.
Reflecting on their performance:
The Kings managed to end February with a 5-1-2 record, with only one prior loss in regulation, along with setbacks coming through a shootout and in overtime.
As for the Stars, having not played at home since February 2, they kicked off a series of four games over seven days at the American Airlines Center, reinforcing their impressive 21-7-1 home record. Their schedule had the team on the road for a trio of games both before and after the international 4 Nations break.
A pivotal moment in the match saw Oettinger preserve a delicate 2-1 lead for Dallas by thwarting Foegele’s short-handed breakaway attempt, succeeding a turnover by Matt Dumba. Moments following the conclusion of a four-minute power play, Stankoven scored, extending Dallas’ lead to 3-1.
In terms of statistics, the Kings entered this game with the fewest goals allowed (34) during the initial period across the league. However, Dallas managed to score three, pushing Los Angeles’ tally to 37, which remains one less than the Winnipeg Jets, who have played three more games.
Looking ahead, the Kings are set to face the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, and the Blues will subsequently head to Dallas to challenge the Stars on Sunday.
