Wild 2, Stars 1
DALLAS - Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk stopped 34 of 35 shots and left winger Thomas Vanek scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Vanek's 13th goal of the season at 11:20 of the second period came off a Dallas turnover. Stars center Cody Eakin was attempting to clear the puck from the Dallas zone, but his attempt struck the stick of center Charlie Coyle.
Vanek gathered the puck in the slot and beat Stars goaltender Antti Niemi, who stopped 23 of 25 shots in the loss, with a backhand.
It was Vanek's first goal not scored into an empty net in 12 games.
Earlier in the second, center Ryan Carter scored his fourth goal of the season 3:34 into the period. Center Jarret Stoll flipped a backhand pass from the left side to center Erik Haula, who was near the far post. The puck deflected off Haula's stick and traveled across the crease before Carter poked it in at the near post.
Dallas (29-11-4) cut it to 2-1 when left winger and captain Jamie Benn scored a power-play goal off a rebound with 3:13 remaining in regulation, but the Stars couldn't find an equalizer even after Niemi headed to the bench with 1:22 left.
The Stars had apparently scored first 4:46 into the game when defenseman John Klingberg beat Dubnyk with a wrist shot from the right circle. After Minnesota used a coach's challenge, the goal was nullified because Stars left winger Antoine Roussel impeded Dubnyk's ability to make a play in the crease.
Dubnyk then made a spectacular kick save on a wrist shot by Stars defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka 7:56 into the game.
The Stars had another near-miss with 6:36 remaining before the first intermission when center Tyler Seguin hit the far post with a wrist shot from the left circle with Dallas on the power play.
The Wild nearly made it 2-0 at 5:39 of the second but a backhand by left winger Zach Parise found the far post.
Parise figured into another close call at 9:29 of the second when he tried to flip a backhand just inside the near post. But after a short video review, officials determined the puck didn't completely cross the goal line and the game remained 1-0.
The Wild outshot the stars 15-8 in the second period and led 2-0 after 40 minutes.
Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon had to leave the ice 5:01 into the third period after Seguin high-sticked him while trying to bat the puck out of the air. Even though Seguin drew blood, no penalty was called. Spurgeon would later return.
Niemi denied left winger Jason Zucker on a breakaway early in the third period and turned away a shot by right winger Nino Niederreiter at close range several minutes later.
NOTES: Wild G Niklas Backstrom, D Nate Prosser (hand) and LW Chris Porter were scratched. ... Stars D Jordie Benn (lower body), LW Travis Moen and D Patrik Nemeth were scratched. ... Wild D Mike Reilly, a fourth-round pick in the 2011 NHL Draft and the 2015 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at Minnesota, made his NHL debut. Reilly had 18 points (13 assists) in 32 games with AHL Iowa prior to being recalled on Friday. ... Minnesota has officially reached the halfway point of the regular season. ... Dallas is completing a two-game homestand and the Stars will go five days before hitting the ice again next Friday at Anaheim. ... Wild assistant coach Darryl Sydor was a member of Dallas' 1999 Stanley Cup championship team. ... Stars D Alex Goligoski is a Minnesota native. ... Wild LW Thomas Vanek played for Dallas coach Lindy Ruff in Buffalo from 2005-2013.