ANAHEIM, Calif. — If you didn’t stay up to watch the Dallas Stars’ 3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night, you didn’t miss much — in the first 55 minutes.
Ryan Suter gave the Stars the lead in the first period. Jake Oettinger let in a fluky goal in the second period that tied the game.
Before the last five minutes of the third period that was about all there was to note from a snoozer in Orange County, which finished when Jamie Benn scored the game-winning goal 53 seconds into overtime.
“It wasn’t the smoothest game,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said. “It was a little choppy out there. … We had enough scoring opportunities. We limited their chances. It just didn’t look as pretty as what you’d hope it would look.”
It was a game lacking energy or excitement, creativity or flow. Even on Trevor Zegras bobblehead night in Anaheim, the Honda Center was generally lifeless in support of its team that entered Thursday with 10 straight losses. The biggest jolt of excitement came from a portly gentleman in the last row of section 424 dancing like Chris Farley.
The last five minutes added some spice to the bottom line.
Andrej Sekera scored his first goal of the season with 4:09 left in the third period, fluttering a shot past John Gibson. Less than a minute later, Kevin Shattenkirk tied the game by tipping a puck past Oettinger.
That set the stage for Benn’s winner in overtime. After Miro Heiskanen broke up a pass intended for Jamie Drysdale, he collected the puck and sent a stretch pass up to Benn on the wall. Benn was all alone, and beat Gibson on the far side.
“There’s going to be a lot of tight games,” Benn said. “We’ve been in tight games all year. Our group’s been through a lot over the last couple years, added some great players to our roster. We’re comfortable in these tight games. Good teams find a way to win, and that’s what we are.”
For the Stars, the win looks all the same as they try to secure a playoff spot in the Western Conference. To them, they can’t all be Picassos, as the hockey saying goes. But sometimes, they become your toddler taking a Sharpie to your living room wall.
With the win, the Stars jumped back ahead of Vegas for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Dallas is one point ahead of the Golden Knights with four games in hand. The Stars (**38-25-3) continue their four-game road trip with games in San Jose and Seattle on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
“Sometimes, those games are tough,” Suter said. “They’ve really got nothing to play for. They’re playing for their pride, but they came us. We kind of gave them the momentum in the second period, and stuck with it and came out on top.”
Suter scored 9:59 into the first period on the power play, slapping a rebound past John Gibson. Suter snuck down the backside and pounced on a loose puck on a shot generated by Tyler Seguin and screened by Jamie Benn. It was Suter’s 99th career NHL goal.
Ducks defenseman Drysdale tied the game in the final minute of the second period on a point shot that banked off the endboards and in off Oettinger’s left skate. The goal came after three consecutive icings by the Stars.
Oettinger said he was warned previously about the lively boards in Anaheim, and noted that Ducks shooters seemed to be aiming for that bounce throughout the evening.
“It’s just one of those, you just laugh about it,” Oettinger said. “Thankfully, it didn’t cost us tonight. Weird, fluky goal and maybe we’ll get a few of those on the other end coming up here.”
Oettinger only faced 10 shots through the first 40 minutes — four in the first period and six in the second period. The Ducks had 12 shots in the third period, and one in overtime as Oettinger won his 24th game of the season.
“You’d almost rather be the guy that gets 45 shots than like 15,” Oettinger said. “When the other goalie’s playing really well like he was on the other end tonight, you’ve got to stay locked in and focused.”
The Stars have been the league’s best team in one-goal games, notching their league-leading 22nd win of the season in one-goal games. Of course, it helps when they win 14 games in an overtime or shootout.
“I think that’s our style, playing those tight games,” Suter said. “You’re not going to go out and score a ton of goals in the playoffs. I think if we can find a way to keep winning and find a way to get in, these games are preparing us for that.”
Saying thanks: After Benn scored the game-winning goal, he shook retiring linesman Vaughan Rody’s hand. The entire Ducks team approached Rody after the game, and Benn waited until Anaheim was done to go towards Rody.
“I just saw their team all shaking his hand,” Benn said. “He’s been great to me throughout my career and we actually get to see him one more time. He told me that, so I’ll make sure to shake his hand again.”
Rody also shook off a puck to the leg, when John Klingberg accidentally hit him with the puck after Alexander Radulov was called for a tripping penalty in the third period.
