Blackhawks remain perfect against Stars
DALLAS -- Trevor van Riemsdyk scored the game-winning goal with 4:03 remaining and Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for the Chicago Blackhawks in a 5-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Van Riemsyk's goal, his second of the season, came after Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen (31 saves) denied the initial attempt from Artem Anisimov. Van Riemsdyk was in the slot to knock in the carom for the eventual game-winner.
Ryan Hartman, Gustav Frosling, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews also scored for Chicago (32-17-5), which also got two assists from Anisimov. The Blackhawks are now 4-0-0 against Dallas this season.
Dallas (21-22-10) got goals from Radek Faksa, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. The Stars finished their season-long six-game homestand at 2-2-2.
Dallas fell to 0-18-2 when trailing after two periods.
After a scoreless opening period, Faksa gave Dallas a lead with his eighth goal of the season eight seconds into the second period, the fastest second-period tally in club history.
Faksa won the opening faceoff of the period against Toews at center ice and, after Devin Shore and Dan Hamhuis touched the puck, Faksa scored with a wrist shot from the left circle that got through Crawford.
Following several close calls, Chicago pulled the game level 6:20 into the second period when Hartman roofed a Tanner Kero pass into the top of the Dallas net for his 12th goal. Kero's pass came from the right circle off the rush.
Lehtonen denied Kane on a breakaway 8:08 into the second. Looking to tuck the puck inside the far side of the net, Kane went to his backhand, but Lehtonen sealed off the far post with his left pad to deny the chance.
Chicago took its first lead 8:34 into the second when Forsling beat Lehtonen on a slap shot from the high slot for his second goal of the season. Lehtonen was screened on the play by Marcus Kruger and didn't see Forsling's blast, which deflected off and broke the shaft of ex-Blackhawk Patrick Sharp's stick before going in.
The goal was reviewed to see if there was a high stick in front of the net, but there was not and the goal stood. The Blackhawks led 2-1 after two periods.
Benn made it 2-2 with his 16th goal 40 seconds into the third period. Benn was to the left of the Chicago goal when he flipped in a backhand, beating Crawford far post for the equalizer.
Seguin put Dallas ahead 3-2 with his 19th goal 9:24 into the third period. Seguin stole the puck from Forsling behind the Chicago goal, hit the afterburners and then scored from almost the same spot as Benn earlier in the period with a wrist shot that deflected in off Crawford's left pad.
Chicago answered 35 seconds later when Kane showed his impressive speed and deft stickhandling, skating through the crease before slipping a backhand inside the near post for his 17th goal.
Lehtonen left the ice with 2:15 remaining, but the Stars were unable to find the equalizer and spent the final 1:03 shorthanded after Benn was called for tripping.
Toews added an empty-net goal with 0.9 seconds remaining, scoring his 10th of the season from the slot.
NOTES: The Blackhawks scratched LW Andrew Desjardins, C Vinnie Hinostroza and D Michal Kempny. ... The Stars scratched D Julius Honka and RW Jiri Hudler. ... Stars coach Lindy Ruff said after morning skate that D Jamie Oleksiak (hand) was still 7 to 10 days away from returning. Oleksiak skated with the team on Saturday for the first time since sustaining his injury January 10 against the Ducks. ... Chicago is playing game three of a six-game road trip. ... Dallas is concluding a season-long six-game homestand. ... Scouts from the Blue Jackets, Canadiens, Coyotes and Hurricanes were in the press box. ... Stars G Antti Niemi, D Johnny Oduya, who is currently on injured reserve, and LW Patrick Sharp are all former Blackhawks. ... Stars D Stephen Johns was a second-round pick of Chicago in the 2010 NHL Draft before being traded to Dallas with Sharp in 2015.