Stars win big vs. Toronto
DALLAS -- Brett Ritchie and Devin Shore had a goal and an assist each and Kari Lehtonen made 40 saves, including 14 in the third period, to help the Dallas Stars to a 6-3 win Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center.
Dallas (21-20-10) also got goals from Radek Faksa, Lauri Korpikoski, Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza. Dan Hamhuis and Tyler Seguin each had two assists.
Mitchell Marnier had a goal and assist for Toronto (23-16-9), who also got goals from Nikita Soshnikov and Tyler Bozak.
Curtis McElhinney stopped nine of 12 shots in relief of starter Frederik Andersen, who was pulled in the first period.
Shore gave Dallas an early lead with his eighth goal of the season 2:53 into the game. Shore received a pass just beyond the Toronto blue line, rushed up the right side and skated through the Maple Leafs crease before slipping the puck inside the left goalpost for his first goal in 10 games.
Faksa then scored off a rebound 1:44 later to give Dallas a 2-0 edge. Andersen denied Shore's wrist shot from the left circle with a pad save, but the carom fell to Faksa and he scored his seventh goal of the season.
Korpikoski then gave Dallas a 3-0 advantage when he scored off a backhand with 8:42 remaining in the opening period. Korpikoski received a pass from Ritchie inside the left circle and beat Andersen for his seventh goal of the season.
That tally ended the night for Andersen, who was replaced by McIlhenny after stopping five of eight shots.
Toronto answered with 6:10 remaining before the first intermission when Bozak scored a power-play goal. Bozak delivered his 13th goal of the season following pinpoint passing from Mitchell Marner and James van Riemsdyk.
Bozak's power-play goal was the 45th allowed by Dallas this season, eclipsing the Stars' total from last season.
Dallas regained its three-goal lead with 3:56 remaining in the first period when Ritchie scored on a tap-in from the crease. Julius Honka fed Ritchie with a pass from behind the Toronto goal.
Benn made it 5-1 with a power-play goal 1:38 before the first intermission. Benn beat McIlhenny short side with a well-placed wrist shot from the right circle for his 14th goal of the season.
Toronto made it 5-2 when Soshnikov scored his third goal of the season from the slot 4:19 into the second. Matt Martin intercepted a wayward clearance from Honka in the left circle and quickly fed Soshnikov.
Spezza added his eighth goal of the season 7:49 into the second to put Dallas up 6-2. Tyler Seguin skated around the back of the Toronto goal and left the puck in front. Spezza tapped the puck in after it first deflected off both skates.
Marner made it 6-3 with his 12th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Lehtonen far post with 9:35 remaining in the second.
NOTES: The Maple Leafs scratched D Frank Corrado, LW Josh Leivo and D Morgan Rielly (knee), who was missing his sixth consecutive game. Rielly participated in morning skate but was unable to play. ... The Stars scratched RW Jiri Hudler, LW Curtis McKenzie and D Patrik Nemeth. ... Maple Leafs G Frederik Andersen got the start in net. ... Stars G Kari Lehtonen started for Dallas. ... Stars C Radek Faksa returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a lower-body injury. ... The Maple Leafs and Stars will also meet Feb. 7 at Air Canada Centre. ... Dallas is playing the fourth contest of a six-game homestand. ... Scouts for the Canucks, Coyotes, Golden Knights and Hurricanes were in the press box.