Stars 5, Kings 4
Captain Jamie Benn scored twice and set up another tally in a three-goal first period as host Dallas built a big lead and held off a furious comeback by Los Angeles.
Tyler Seguin and rookie defenseman John Klingberg each had a goal and an assist and blue-liner Jason Demers scored in his Stars debut as Dallas won its second in a row following a seven-game skid at home (0-5-2). Cody Eakin collected a pair of assists and netminder Kari Lehtonen added an assist to go with 37 saves to halt the Kings' three-game winning streak.
Justin Williams scored a pair of goals and Tanner Pearson and Mike Richards also tallied for Los Angeles, which lost for the seventh time in eight road games (1-4-3). Jarret Stoll and Kyle Clifford each chipped in two assists and Jonathan Quick turned aside 18 shots in falling to 16-7-2 lifetime against the Stars.
Benn's second goal with 1.3 seconds left in the first period and Seguin's tally off a pass from Lehtonen at 3:57 of the second gave the Stars a commanding 4-0 lead, but Los Angeles battled back when Pearson and Williams each converted rebounds less than three minutes apart to cut the deficit in half. Demers restored a three-goal lead with 2:07 left in the period with a blast from the blue line but Richards answered 36 seconds later when his pass caromed off defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka's stick.
Williams pulled the Kings within 5-4 by converting a rebound in front with 9:16 to play but they were unable to get the equalizer. After Benn buried a crossing pass from Seguin 14 1/2 minutes into the game, Klingberg doubled the lead with a snap shot past the glove of Quick before setting up Benn in the slot with a deft backhand pass just before time expired in the period.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Demers played in his first game with Dallas after he was acquired from San Jose on Friday in exchange for D Brenden Dillon. ... Kings D Jake Muzzin picked up an assist in his fourth straight contest and has 10 points in his last eight. ... The Stars honored new Hall of Famer Mike Modano prior to the game, with former teammates Ed Belfour, Joe Nieuwendyk and Brett Hull joining him in a ceremonial puck drop.