Devils win fifth straight. defeat Stars in OT
DALLAS -- Adam Henrique scored 44 seconds into the overtime to give the New Jersey Devils their fifth straight victory, a 2-1 overtime win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday at American Airlines Center.
Henrique tapped in a pass from Kyle Palmieri off the rush for New Jersey (9-3-3), who is now 4-3 in overtime this season. Cory Schneider stopped 23 of 24 shots for the Devils.
Patrick Eaves scored the lone goal for Dallas (6-6-5), who is 0-5 in overtime this season. The Stars have lost their last eight in overtime dating back to last season.
New Jersey struck first when Damon Severson scored from the slot 7:40 into the game to give the visitors an early lead. After Beau Bennett stole the puck from John Klingberg at the Dallas blue line, Bennett fed PA Parenteau to start the rush.
Parenteau then flipped a backhand pass from the left circle into the slot and Syverson finished perfectly for his third goal of the season.
Dallas answered at 10:33 of the first when Eaves scored his seventh goal of the season off the rush. Antoine Roussel fed Eaves from the slot and Eaves beat Schneider top shelf to his short side for the equalizer.
Roussel now has a point in seven straight games, the longest current streak in the NHL.
Schneider denied Adam Cracknell twice in succession in the second period, first turning Cracknell's backhand at 8:22 away and then denying Cracknell's chance to score off the rebound at the near post two seconds later.
The Devils had a great chance to regain the lead in the waning seconds of the middle frame, but Bennett's backhand on a breakaway instead deflected off the near post 42 seconds before the second intermission.
After the teams traded goals in the first period, the game was scoreless for the final 49:27 of regulation before Henrique broke the deadlock.
Antti Niemi stopped 31 of 33 shots in a losing effort for Dallas.
NOTES: The Stars scratched D Esa Lindell and D Jamie Oleksiak. ... The Devils scratched LW Michael Cammalleri (personal reasons), LW Taylor Hall (lower body) and D Jon Merrill. ... Stars C Jason Spezza returned to the lineup after missing the previous five games with a lower-body injury. ... Devils C Vernon Fiddler spent the previous five seasons in Dallas. Fiddler received a standing ovation from the crowd during a first-period video tribute. ... Stars G Antti Niemi started his eighth game, his first start since Nov. 5 at Chicago. ... Devils G Cory Schneider made his 12th start of the season. ... Stars RW Patrick Eaves played despite missing morning skate. ... The Devils are beginning a four-game road trip. ... C Cody Eakin (knee) and RW Patrick Sharp (concussion) both wore non-contact red jerseys during morning skate on Tuesday. Eakin, who has yet to play this season, could return later this week.