Second-period goals help Stars beat Red Wings
DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars got goals from John Klingberg and Stephen Johns 49 seconds apart late in the second period and Antti Niemi stopped 31 of 33 shots in defeating the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Thursday at American Airlines Center.
Lauri Korpikoski, Brett Ritchie and Patrick Eaves also scored for Dallas (18-18-8), which won only its second game against an Eastern Conference foe this season (2-6-3).
The Stars are 12-6-4 on home ice and Niemi is 14-3-3 in his career against the Red Wings.
Eaves added an empty-net goal with 1:06 remaining, his 15th of the season.
Detroit (17-19-6) got goals from Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist, and each added an assist. The Red Wings finished their seven-game road trip at 2-3-2 and are 10-9-3 on the road.
Petr Mrazek stopped 16 of 20 shots in a losing effort for Detroit before Mrazek left the ice with 3:21 remaining. Mrazek returned to the crease following Eaves' empty-netter.
The Red Wings' last serious chance to cut into the Dallas lead came with 5:38 remaining when Jason Spezza was called for tripping, but the Dallas penalty kill hung tough and snuffed out the chance.
Dallas took an early lead when Korpikoski redirected a Jordie Benn shot for his sixth goal of the season 3:39 into the game. Benn took a wrist shot from near the Detroit blue line, and Korpikoski got the end of his stick on it to give the Stars a 1-0 advantage.
Korpikoski has points in three of his past four games.
Detroit pulled the game level with 5:51 remaining before the first intermission when Nyquist scored a power-play goal, the Red Wings' first road power-play goal since Oct. 19. Nyquist scored by tapping in a pass from Thomas Vanek at the near post during a five-on-three situation.
Prior to Nyquist's tally, the Detroit power play was scoreless in its previous 57 opportunities on the road. Nyquist's goal was just the Red Wings' third road power-play goal this season.
Detroit took its first lead when captain Zetterberg scored his eighth goal of the season from the slot with 4:18 remaining in the first period. Nyquist assisted with a well-placed pass from behind the Dallas goal following a costly turnover by Dallas rookie defenseman Esa Lindell behind his own net.
Dallas tied it at 2-2 when Ritchie redirected a Radek Faksa slap shot for his ninth goal of the season 3:31 into the second period. Ritchie got his stick on a Faksa blast from the deep left point.
The Stars regained the lead with 4:07 remaining in the second period when Klingberg scored his sixth goal of the season off a rebound. Mrazek denied the initial attempt by Devin Shore, but Klingberg deftly popped in the rebound with a backhand.
Dallas added another goal 1:11 later. Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson got his stick on Johns' slap shot from the deep right circle, deflecting the puck enough to send it through Mrazek to make it a 4-2 contest.
NOTES: Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill made Thursday's morning skate optional. LW Tomas Tatar, who is bothered by pain in his left shoulder, participated in after taking a maintenance day on Wednesday, and he played Thursday night. ... Stars LW Jamie Benn (foot) returned from a four-game absence. ... The Red Wings scratched RW Tomas Jurco, C Riley Sheahan and D Ryan Sproul. ... The Stars scratched RW Adam Cracknell, LW Curtis McKenzie and D Patrik Nemeth. ... Detroit concluded a seven-game road trip. ... Stars RW Patrick Eaves (2010-14) and LW Jiri Hudler (2006-09, 2010-12) both are former Red Wings. ... After the morning skate, Stars coach Lindy Ruff announced D Jamie Oleksiak (hand), who was injured in a 2-0 loss at Anaheim on Tuesday, would miss at least two weeks.