Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertsonhis game-winning goal during overtime NHL hockey action against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, March 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY – Jason Robertson scored the overtime winner for his second goal of the game in the Dallas Stars’ 6-5 win over the host Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Robertson ended it with 12 seconds remaining in OT by cutting in front of the net going from his forehand to his backhand.
Joe Pavelski, Wyatt Johnston Radek Faksa, Jason Robertson and Jani Hakanpaa also scored for Dallas (38-19-13) atop the Central Division. Roope Hintz chipped in with two assists and Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots for the win.
Rasmus Andersson and Mackenzie Weegar each had a goal and two assists for Calgary (31-25-14), sitting four points back of the Winnipeg Jets holding down the Western Conference’s last wild-card playoff spot.
Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist, while Blake Coleman and Nick Ritchie also scored for Calgary. Jacob Markstrom stopped 20 shots in the see-saw battle at the Saddledome.
The Stars scored twice in the first two minutes of the game.
Calgary scored three unanswered goals in a span of six minutes 38 seconds in the second period to briefly lead 4-3, but Robertson pulled the Stars even before the end of the period.
Oettinger seemed to lose track of Andersson’s shot from the blue line that gave the Flames a 5-4 lead at 9:53 of the third.
But the visitors drew even again at 12:09 when a loose puck flew out to Hakanpaa. His shot deflected off Markstom and into the net.
After two long-range Dallas attempts, Robertson converted the second rebound from the slot at 18:20 of the second period to knot the score 4-4.
The 23-year-old reached the 40-goal mark for a second straight season with his first goal of the game.
The hosts led when Ritchie took Andersson’s stretch pass and beat Oettinger on a breakaway with a backhand between the pads at 16:58.
Coleman had pulled Calgary even at 13:56. Andersson’s shot squeezed through Oettinger’s pads and Coleman dove to sweep the puck in.
Weegar sparked Calgary’s three-goal run at 10:20.
The puck deflecting off Pavelski’s skate at the top of the zone gave Weegar time to collect it, drive the net and beat Oettinger short side.
Dallas led by two goals less than two minutes after the opening faceoff, but the Flames scored at the three-minute mark.
Johnston made it 3-1 for Dallas at 16:08.
After Jamie Benn won the offensive zone draw, Johnston tipped in Miro Heiskanen’s shot from the blue line for the 19-year-old’s fourth goal in as many games.
A rebound off Andrew Mangiapane’s shot from the slot bounced out to Lindholm, who beat Oettingers with a low, sharp-angled shot at 3:01.
Markstrom’s clearing attempt along the boards hit an official and stayed in the zone. Calgary’s goalie made an initial stop on Hintz, but Faksa potted the rebound at 1:58.
The visitors scored 65 seconds into the game in a goalmouth scramble. Markstrom couldn’t get his glove on the puck and Pavelski shovelled it over the outstretched goalie.
STREAKING STARS
Heiskanen assisting on two goals Saturday extended the longest point streak of his career to 10 straight games with three goals and 14 assists in that span.
Johnston’s goal gave the Toronto teenager points in 10 of his last 12 games with seven goals and four assists.
NOTES
Milan Lucic was a Flames’ scratch Saturday “¦ Dallas was minus veteran centre Tyler Seguin a fifth straight game because of his leg injury “¦ Calgary’s Andersson has two goals and six assists in his last four games.
UP NEXT
The Flames play back-to-back nights in California starting Monday against Los Angeles, followed by Anaheim.
After a 4-2 road trip, the Stars open a three-game homestand Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2023.
