DALLAS — It had been two weeks, and the Stars weren’t ready to leave a game empty-handed just yet.
Dallas mounted another furious late-game rally as Jason Robertson scored twice in the final 2:12 of the third period to tie the Jets in an eventual 5-4 overtime loss against Winnipeg.
Josh Morrissey won the game for the Jets just 34 seconds into overtime.
The Dallas point streak is now at seven games, and includes dramatic wins over Florida and Chicago, overtime or shootout losses to Stanley Cup finalists Tampa Bay and Colorado, plus five-goal outbursts against the Flyers and Islanders. The Stars have not lost in regulation since Nov. 11 against the Sharks.
The point streak is the longest of the season under DeBoer after opening the season with a five-game streak (4-0-1).
Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn joined Robertson in scoring for the Stars in regulation on Friday night. Dallas also received 23 saves from Jake Oettinger in his fourth straight start and eighth straight game played.
Robertson tied the game with 18.5 seconds left in the third period, and the goal was upheld after a video review since officials ruled that Jets defenseman Neil Pionk was the source of interference on Connor Hellebuyck.
It was the second third-period multi-goal comeback for the Stars, who won in regulation on Wednesday night despite facing a three-goal deficit against the Blackhawks.
The Stars also hit two posts, and had a goal taken off the board because the puck went out of play before Robertson scored into an open net in the second period.
The game was the season finale between the Jets and the Stars despite being only the 21st game of the season for Dallas. Each team won games on home ice, as Dallas handled a 4-1 decision in the first week of the season, and Winnipeg sprinted to a 5-1 win 17 days ago.
DeBoer said the four-goal drubbing in Manitoba “should be a warning shot across our bow of what to be prepared for tonight.”
The first period was a hectic one.
In the first 1:58 of the game, both teams scored. Cole Perfetti finished a nifty tuck around Oettinger on a partial breakaway, as both Esa Lindell and Jani Hakanpää sunk towards the middle of the ice in transition. Johnston answered 26 seconds later by depositing a Benn rebound past Connor Hellebuyck.
The next set of goals would be slightly more spaced out.
Jansen Harkins scored from the slot after Ryan Suter was tied up chasing down a loose puck at 5:46 of the first period. Benn answered at 8:27 jamming home his own rebound after a pass from Robertson.
Adam Lowry’s goal in the second period gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead on a soft touch pass from Axel Jonsson-Fjallby. Kyle Connor extended the lead with a rush goal with 8:39 left in the third period.
Robertson’s 6-on-5 goal with 2:12 left in the third period drew the Stars within one, then he tied it less than two minutes later.
Former Stars coach Rick Bowness coached in his first game at the American Airlines Center since joining the Jets over the summer. Bowness was part of the organization for the previous four seasons, both as an assistant and head coach.
Under Bowness, the Stars made the playoffs in two of three seasons, and advanced to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Before the game, Bowness downplayed his return to Dallas.
“We lost our last game and we’re trying to stay in this fight for first place, that’s my emotions,” Bowness told reporters after morning skate. “It’s Dallas, it’s Dallas. It’s noise, you know that. It’s noise, you can’t get wrapped up in the noise. My focus is on our team, regardless who we play, where we play.”
Bowness was not with the Jets during their first trip to Dallas in October because he tested positive for COVID-19. The Stars also faced Bowness in Winnipeg earlier this month in a 5-1 Dallas loss.
Bowness was acknowledged during the first television timeout with a video, and he waved to the cheering crowd.
Back to the 90s
The Stars turned back the clock on the American Airlines Center on Friday night, coinciding with the debut of their new black Reverse Retro jerseys. The video board played old intro clips from Reunion Arena, the soundtrack had a throwback feel and the game presentation crew used dated graphics.
The Stars’ Reverse Retro jerseys are based on their original white jerseys when they first arrived from Dallas, except black and with the dark green traded out for their current Victory Green shade.
The Stars will wear the uniforms four more times: Thursday against Anaheim, Dec. 4 against Minnesota, Dec. 10 against Detroit and Dec. 23 against Montreal.
New record
Robertson set a new Dallas Stars record by extending his point streak to 14 games with a first-period secondary assist of Benn’s power play goal. Robertson entered Friday in a tie with Dave Gagner with a 13-game point streak.
The franchise record (including the Minnesota North Stars) is a 20-game streak set by Brian Bellows in 1985-86.
Finding consistency
Forward Denis Gurianov earned a mid-game promotion to the second line with Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin on Wednesday against Chicago, and stayed there Friday night.
Asked what he thought about Gurianov’s return to the lineup after missing six games with an upper-body injury, DeBoer said “I thought he was really good. Do it again.”
Gurianov entered Friday with one goal and three assists in 13 games.
— With Oettinger starting on Friday night, Scott Wedgewood is expected to start Saturday in Colorado.
