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 – Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson hit the 40-goal mark for a second straight season and also scored the overtime winner in a 6-5 victory over the host Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Robertson scored twice to match his 41-goal output of last season.
“They put me out there to try to produce,” Robertson said. “A lot of guys on this team are having fantastic seasons. It kind of bleeds into my game. That success translates from our team to individuals.
“We’re doing really well in the standings right now. We want to keep it that way. But that sure helps a guy like me to achieve that milestone.”
The 23-year-old Californian ended a see-saw battle at the Saddledome with 12 seconds left in OT.
Robertson cut in front of the net going forehand to backhand for the winner.
“You give Robertson an inch, he takes it and he scores,” Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson said.
Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assists for Dallas (38-19-13) atop the Central Division.
Wyatt Johnston with his fourth in four games, Radek Faksa and Jani Hakanpaa also scored for the Stars.
Roope Hintz chipped in three assists and goaltender Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots for the win.
Andersson and defencemen Mackenzie Weegar each had a goal and two assists for Calgary (31-25-14), sitting four points back of the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference’s final wild-card playoff spot.
Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist, while Blake Coleman and Nick Ritchie also scored.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 20 shots for the Flames, who didn’t so much gain an OT point but squandered again a chance for a precious two in their scramble for the playoffs this season.
No team has more overtime losses than Calgary’s 15 so far this season.
“We just haven’t scored the goal,” Andersson said. “We have the looks. We not putting them in. It’s obviously frustrating we’ve lost 15 games in overtime.”
Calgary took the season series with Dallas 2-1.
In contrast to the low-scoring, tight-checking playoff round between the Flames and Stars last season – Calgary won the first-round series in seven games – their three meetings this regular season were goal extravaganzas with a total of 31 scored.
“We had two losses to this team in our barn,” Robertson said. “One especially we’d really love to get back. It feels good to get one in their building and get the two points.”
The Stars scored twice in the first two minutes of the game.
Calgary’s three unanswered goals in a span of six minutes 38 seconds in the second period gave the Flames a brief 4-3 lead before Robertson pulled the Stars even before the end of the period.
The Flames led again on Andersson’s goal at 9:53 of the third, but Hakanpaa drew the Stars even again at 12:09.
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.
Pavelski and Faksa gave the visitors a 2-0 lead before the two-minute mark of the game, but Lindholm countered for Calgary at 3:01.
“We did a good job climbing back in the game,” Weegar said. “Battling down to the last minute, going into OT, it comes down to one play and we’ve got to start making that play.”
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.
“It’s pretty cool,” Johnston said. “At the start of the year, I was kind of just happy to be playing in the NHL, just happy to be here.
“As the season’s transitioned, I’ve tried to improve my game, get better and be a contributor.”
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.
