Rookie forward Jason Robertson produced a goal and an assist to run his point-scoring streak to five games and lead the host Dallas Stars to a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 24 saves while Tanner Kero, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Oleksiak and Blake Comeau also scored for Dallas (19-14-12, 50 points).
The Stars are riding a season-high-tying, four-game winning streak and are on a 6-0-2 run that has them one point behind the Nashville Predators for fourth place in the Central Division. Dallas also has two games in hand on the Predators.
Valtteri Filppula and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings (16-25-7, 39 points). Detroit’s starting goaltender, Jonathan Bernier, surrendered four goals on 12 shots before being pulled. Thomas Greiss stopped all 11 shots he faced in relief.
Dallas has won five of six meetings this season with the Red Wings, including a pair of victories the past two nights. The clubs meet for two more games in Detroit starting on Thursday.
With a pair of key players, forward Roope Hintz and defenseman Miro Heiskanen, absent due to lower-body injuries, the Stars needed others to step forward. Robertson was among those who did during a three-goal first period.
Kero, who suited up for his 100th NHL game, opened the scoring just 2:55 into the affair. Jamie Benn stole the puck in the slot and chipped a short pass to Kero on his right that the forward converted for his third goal of the season.
Robertson’s 14th goal in an impressive freshman season doubled the lead just past the five-minute mark. Jason Dickinson, who collected a pair of assists, gained the puck deep in the offensive zone before sliding a pass to the slot for Robertson to fire a one-timer for his sixth goal in eight games.
Robertson then set up Pavelski’s marker at the 14:17 mark that made it a 3-0 affair. He slipped a quick pass to Pavelski at the doorstep for an easy tap-in, Pavelski’s fourth goal in five games.
During his second five-game point streak of the season, Robertson has compiled three goals and eight points.
Oleksiak and Filppula traded early second-period goals 75 seconds apart.
Larkin tallied with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker to make it a two-goal game with 3:47 remaining in regulation. However, Comeau’s empty-netter in the final minute iced the game.
–Field Level Media