Eaves scores twice, Stars sink Hurricanes
DALLAS -- Patrick Eaves scored two goals and Kari Lehtonen made 22 saves to help the Dallas Stars snap a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon at American Airlines Center.
Appearing in his 600th career game, Eaves first scored in the opening period and added a second tally late in the middle frame, giving him a career-high 21 goals this season.
Esa Lindell, Curtis McKenzie, who also had an assist, and Adam Cracknell also scored for Dallas (22-24-10). Jamie Benn added two assists.
Dallas has now won seven of its last eight home games against Carolina.
Rookie Sebastian Aho and Justin Faulk scored for Carolina (24-22-7), which also got two assists each from Elias Lindholm and Eric Staal.
Lindell gave Dallas an early lead with his fifth goal, an unassisted tally, 51 seconds into the game. Off a faceoff inside the Stars zone, Lindell poked the puck away from Jaccob Slavin at the Dallas blue line.
Lindell was then off the races, dashing up the right side of the ice before beating Cam Ward (22 saves) far post with a wrist shot from the right circle.
Dallas doubled its lead when Eaves scored his 20th goal 5:49 into the opening period. Benn started the sequence by firing the puck off the boards behind the Carolina goal. Cody Eakin tipped the puck into the slot, where Faulk was unable to gain possession and Eaves knocked it in to make it 2-0.
The Stars added a third goal 22 seconds later when McKenzie scored his fourth goal, also an unassisted tally. McKenzie's shot, which resembled more of an attempted pass, deflected in off the stick of Matt Tennyson.
Dallas led 3-0 after one period and 4-1 after two periods.
Carolina got on the board 5:06 into the second period when Aho scored his 17th goal from the right circle. Aho received a Lindholm pass from behind the Dallas goal and one-timed it inside the far post to make it 3-1.
Eaves added a second tally, his 21st, with Dallas on the power play with 2:51 remaining in the second period. Eaves roofed a backhand pass by Radek Faksa from behind the Carolina goal top shelf and far post.
Faulk knocked in a rebound 5:13 into the third period with Carolina on the power play to make it a 4-2 game. Lehtonen denied the initial attempt by Lindholm from the slot but lost track of the puck and when it popped free from under his left pad, Faulk was waiting at the near post to knock it in.
Cracknell scored his seventh goal with 9:41 remaining when he knocked the puck into the air at the far post and it deflected in off the back of Ward's shoulder.
Carolina'sBill Peters used his coach's challenge on the goal, asserting Ward had been interfered with. However, following a short review, the goal stood.
NOTES: The Hurricanes scratched D Klas Dahlbeck, D Ryan Murphy and RW Ty Rattie. ... The Stars scratched RW Jiri Hudler and D Patrik Nemeth. ... The Stars announced that they will retire the number of RW Jere Lehtinen next season as part of the franchise's 25th season in Dallas. Lehtonen played 875 games, all for the Stars, between 1995 and 2010, and was part of Dallas' 1999 Stanley Cup championship team. ... Scouts from the Avalanche, Bruins, Coyotes, Lightning and Rangers were in the press box. ... The Hurricanes and Stars were playing for the first time this season. These teams meet again April 1 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. ... The Stars honored longtime equipment manager Steve Sumner, who was working his 2,000th professional game Saturday, before to the game. ... A moment of silence honoring late Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, who passed away Friday, was held prior to the National Anthem.