DALLAS — In a thrilling finish, Thomas Harley secured a dramatic win for Dallas as he scored from just inside the blue line with only 4.8 seconds left on the clock, leading the Stars to a 4-3 triumph over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. Despite having a comfortable two-goal advantage initially, Dallas saw that lead disappear in the third period.
Roope Hintz played a pivotal role, scoring once and contributing two assists, ensuring the Stars’ impressive form continues as they claimed their 11th win in 14 games. This performance keeps them neck and neck in the race with Winnipeg, who tops the Central Division. Hintz has been in outstanding form, registering three goals and 11 assists over his last five games.
Following a hat trick in a previous game, Wyatt Johnston upped his tally with an unassisted goal, while Ilya Lyubushkin netted his first of the season for Dallas. Jason Robertson also added to the assist count with two.
For the Devils, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, and Brett Pesce made the most of their power-play opportunities, each scoring with an extra man on the ice. Meier and Hischier capitalized on power plays, while Pesce’s tying goal came with 4:08 left, during a 6-on-5 that was set up by a delayed penalty call.
Goalie Casey DeSmith secured his 11th victory of the season, making 25 saves while serving as backup to Jake Oettinger. At the New Jersey end, Jacob Markstrom defended his net with 17 saves in his second game back following a five-week hiatus due to a knee injury.
Takeaway points included the Devils showcasing their resilience by overcoming a two-goal deficit, even though they were without their top scorer Jack Hughes, who was injured in a previous game. Meanwhile, the Stars, who demonstrated lethal efficiency two nights earlier by converting all their power plays in a win over St. Louis, managed to convert just one out of five power plays during this match. That success came when Hintz scored only moments into a 5-on-3 scenario, giving Dallas a 3-1 lead late in the second period.
A crucial moment came when Dallas’ second power play ended with DeSmith’s vital save against Brenden Dillon, who had broken away upon leaving the penalty box, preserving a narrow 2-1 lead for the Stars.
In terms of statistics, Hintz was close to making franchise history, as he was one point shy of becoming the first player to score four points across three consecutive games.
The upcoming schedule sees New Jersey welcoming Winnipeg at home on Friday, while Dallas gears up to host Calgary on Thursday.
