Stars 6, Blackhawks 2
By Jeff Arnold, The Sports Xchange
CHICAGO -- Vernon Fiddler scored twice and the Dallas Stars produced four first-period goals in a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at the United Center.
Dallas clinched a playoff berth with its third straight win and toppled the defending Stanley Cup champions for the fourth time in five games this season.
The Stars took a commanding 4-0 first-period lead, overwhelming the Blackhawks from the jump. Dallas was fueled early by its fourth line, which produced a pair of goals in a 25-second span. Colton Sceviour flicked a shot from behind the net that bounced off of Chicago goaltender Scott Darling before Sceviour followed up with a pinpoint pass to Fiddler to provide Dallas with the two-goal cushion.
Patrick Eaves' power-play goal extended the lead to three goals with just under four minutes to play in the period. Fiddler then finished off the scoring barrage when he out-raced Patrick Kane to the puck and then beat Darling on a short-handed goal following a Blackhawks' turnover.
Dallas carried a 5-1 lead into the third period after Radek Faksa padded an already comfortable lead late in the second period when he fired a shot past Michael Leighton, who took over for Darling, who was pulled after giving up the four first-period goals.
Darling, who started again for injured Corey Crawford, gave up the four goals on 15 shots before giving way to Leighton, who hadn't appeared in an NHL game since 2013.
Faksa's goal swung the momentum back to Dallas after the Blackhawks had cut the deficit to 4-1 with 3:37 left in the second period. Chicago's Andrew Shaw redirected a shot out of the air and past Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen, who had stopped the first 18 shots he faced before Shaw's goal.
Lehtonen, who finished with 30 saves, surrendered up a second goal midway through the third period when the Blackhawks Richard Panik was able to slip the puck under his left pad to make it 5-2.
But Dallas' Cody Eakin responded again and capped the scoring with an empty-net goal late in the third period.
NOTES: Stars D Jordie Benn returned to the lineup after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. ... D Kris Russell was a game-time scratch with a lower-body injury. Russell skated in the morning to test his strength. D Jamie Oleksiask and LW Travis Moen were also scratches for the Stars. ... Blackhawks G Corey Crawford missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury. Coach Joel Quenneville responded with a "we'll see" when asked if Crawford would travel for Chicago's upcoming four-game road trip that begins Saturday in Calgary. Crawford's replacement, Scott Darling, made his fourth straight start for the first time since December. ... Quenneville said F Marcus Kruger could play Saturday against the Flames. Kruger has been out since Dec. 18 after undergoing surgery for a dislocated wrist. ... C Dennis Rasmussen, D Christian Ehrhoff and LW Brandon Mashinter were scratches for Chicago.