Dallas Stars Fall to Senators, 7-4

The Dallas Stars lost to the Ottawa Senators to end their winning streak at five Tuesday night by a score of 7-4. The Stars still sit atop the NHL with a (17-5-0) record for 34 points.

Recap

First Period

The game began with a few key Dallas Stars mistakes. Just over seven minutes into the frame Stars defenseman John Klingberg turned the puck over to Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan, who scored to put the Senators up 1-0. Then with a little more than minute remaining in the first Ottawa converted after a Jyrki Jokipakka turnover to make it 2-0 heading into the first intermission.

Second Period

Patrick Sharp cut the lead in half seven minutes into the second period when he blasted a slap shot past Craig Anderson to make it 2-1. The Senators then reestablished their lead with a goal by Mark Stone, which prompted a goalie change for the Stars. Just a few minutes after taking over for Antti Niemi, though, Kari Lehtonen gave up a power play goal with just under three minutes remaining and the Stars went into the second intermission down 4-1.

Third Period

Things continued to worsen for the Dallas Stars in the third period as the Senators scored shorthanded to make it 5-1 at 4:07 of the frame. Kari Lehtonen was hit after a Stars defender was pushed into him, ending his night in the crease. Niemi returned to the game despite being pulled in the second period.

Captain Jamie Benn, however, scored a shorthanded goal of his own two minutes later to make it 5-2. Then after a rather obvious hold at center ice that went uncalled by the refs Benn passed the puck through the neutral zone to Tyler Seguin who scored his twelfth goal of the season to make it 5-3.

The two-goal deficit brought some life back into the Stars’ game, but it didn’t last as the Senators scored to make it 6-3 with 9:30 remaining in regulation. Dallas’ Benn scored his second goal of the night to make it 6-4 and give the Stars their last bit of hope with less than four minutes left in the period before Ottawa ultimately scored an empty net tally to win it 7-4.

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Thoughts and Observations

Defensive Mistakes

With any group of young defenders there will be mistakes and tonight showed that quite clearly. The first two goals against were giveaways by Dallas d-men that really shouldn’t happen, but do. The more experienced players even had some difficulties for the Stars tonight, which didn’t help Niemi’s case in net.

A Tale of Two Goaltenders

Tonight was a strange situation for the Stars netminders as both played in the game with Niemi sitting out for 8:32 after being pulled. While it hasn’t happened often this season the Stars faced adversity in the crease. Niemi gave up three goals on nine shots and ended up having six of Ottawa’s seven goals go by him after posting a rather excellent shutout just a few nights before.

This isn’t a reason to give up hope, though. Goaltenders, even the best, have bad nights and that’s what tonight’s game was for Niemi. Yes, he should’ve stopped at least a few of the goals that got by him and he would’ve rather easily stopped them had he been on his game. While it’s not the best situation, it’s important that the Stars put this game behind them and focus on the games coming up.

Bottom Line

The Stars are still at the top of the NHL with an incredible seventeen wins through twenty-two games. That’s a record most of the league would kill for and Dallas hasn’t tarnished it at all with this loss. Losing happens and even thought the Stars have looked unstoppable this season they can’t keep winning at the same pace they did to start the season, despite best hopes and hard work.

Dallas will regroup and be ready to take the ice on Friday after Thanksgiving as they face-off against the Vancouver Canucks in hopes of starting a new winning streak.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to leave your thoughts on tonight’s game in the comments.