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Stars Snap Overtime Losing Streak, Win 2-1 Against Blue Jackets

The Dallas Stars have visited Ohio for the last time this season for an afternoon tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This was the second game of a back-to-back against two teams very much racing to the bottom rung of the playoff ladder, and the Stars gave up a very important two points to them yesterday.

Good news: Alexander Radulov back in the game. Weird news: Jake Oettinger tapped to play his second game of the weekend.

First Period

The Stars had a better period against the Blue Jackets than they had an entire game yesterday, but a good period has happened before and can’t always be trusted in a 60-minute game. Still, it was a really good period.

The Stars kept most of the pressure going their way for the opening frame, they lead not only in shots on goal but also high danger chances. The defense managed to keep the Blue Jackets’ high danger chances to only one, a tip-in from a David Savard that Jake Oettinger saved.

And the Stars managed to get themselves on the board first which is again more than can be said for yesterday.

Late in the period, Joel Kiviranta had an absolutely stellar feed to Joe Pavelski right in front of the net.

That is Pavelski’s 14th goal of the season, in the 24th game, which matches his total in 67 games last season. At least one of the Stars is having a great season.

Jamie Benn gave the Blue Jackets the first power play of the weekend on a high sticking against Zach Werenski, but the Stars were able to keep the Blue Jackets to only one shot.

Shots: Dallas 12, Columbus 8
Score: Dallas 1, Columbus 0

Second Period

The Blue Jackets had some leftover time on the power play but were not able to manage a shot on goal.

Max Domi gave the Stars a power play opportunity with this interference call on John Klingberg.

That seemed like an easy call. But though the Stars had multiple shots on goal, Joonas Korpisalo kept it out of the net.

And the rest of the period was really a goalie battle. Jake Oettinger played a full 60 minutes yesterday in that very disappointing loss and despite the fact that this is the second of a back-to-back, the decision was made to put him in again, and that decision definitely seemed to pay off in the second period. The Stars let a lot more traffic through the zone than they had in the first period but Oettinger kept the Blue Jackets scoreless.

Any effort by Oettinger, however, was completely overshadowed by Korpisalo’s save on Jamie Benn in the minutes of the period.

It’s the lateral movement, the control of the rebound, and the fact that he did all of that without any support from a single other Blue Jacket.

Shots: Dallas 23, Columbus 17
Score: Dallas 1, Columbus 0

Third Period

Zachary Werenski continues to haunt the Stars’ dreams. He got the overtime winner yesterday and was the only scorer in the third period to force another overtime today.

This was the first shot of the period off a face-off and Oettinger didn’t even register that a puck was coming towards him until it was over his shoulder. Could he have had it? Yes, obviously. It would also have been great to see the Stars win a face-off, they were absolutely demolished in face-off wins this entire game.

But more than that, the Stars need to stop leaving the fate of the game to a single goal late in third period.

So to overtime we go.

Shots: Dallas 33, Columbus 25
Score: Dallas 1, Columbus 1

Overtime/Shootout

Jake Oettinger is the only reason the Blue Jackets didn’t win this in OT, so to the shootout they went, where Radulov won it for the Stars in the third round.

Shots: Dallas 35, Columbus 30
Score: Dallas 2, Columbus 1

Takeaway

But great as it is that the Stars have snapped a 6 game overtime losing streak, the two points don’t do them a lot of good in the standings. Both the Stars and the Blue Jackets leave the weekend with the same number of points, meaning the Stars gained precisely no ground in the standings.

They’ll have to see what they can do against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, puck drop will be at 7:30 PM CST.

Talking Points