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Stars lose to Oilers 5-4, Jamie Benn scores twice

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The Edmonton Oilers went into Friday night with a 1-3 record at home. The Dallas Stars were sporting a 1-3 record of their own on the road. The Oilers had yet to score four goals in any game, and the Stars had allowed four or more in every one of their road games.

Something had to give, as both of these teams entered the season with lofty expectations but have yet to find any consistency. The Oilers pulled out the victory in spite of three power play goals allowed, and none of their own.

Edmonton started the game with an extended shift in their offensive zone due to a failed breakout by Jamie Oleksiak. Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid sped into the slot with the puck and practically drew the attention of every Dallas defender which resulted in a tripping minor on the Marc Methot. The Stars’ much improved penalty kill stayed sharp, thanks to the presence of Bishop, as they had not yielded a power play goal in five straight games.

On the Stars’ first penalty of the game they weren’t able to get much going and had to break up a Connor McDavid shorthanded breakaway. Dallas was unable to do it a second time as McDavid scored after the penalty while Dallas’ attackers were caught up ice. Dallas responded a minute later with a goal from their own captain, Jamie Benn. Benn received a pass in front of the net from Alexander Radulov, who was put back on the top line midway through the first period, moving Brett Ritchie to the third line.

Dallas dubiously iced the puck with about 30 seconds to go in the first period and it cost them.  Marc Methot was battling the now healthy Edmonton winger, Leon Draisaitl, in front of the net when a centering pass from defenseman Patrick Maroon caromed off Methot’s skate into the back of the net. Edmonton outshot Dallas 14-12 heading into the first intermission.

Radek Faksa drew a tripping penalty in the second period for Dallas’ second power play of the evening. The Stars tied the game at two with one of their prettier goals on the season when Radulov one-timed a perfect pass from Tyler Seguin after Seguin created space with his skating and patiently waited for a lane to open.

The Oilers pulled ahead late in the second period on a counter-attack score. The Stars had them on their heels with a couple of quality chances, but Edmonton broke out and found Antoine Roussel filling in for a pinching Oleksiak on the blue line. The number one draft pick from 2011, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, wrapped the puck around the net and Bishop couldn’t recover from the initial save.

The goal sparked the crowd, and ultimately led to a scrape between Roussel and Eric Gryba. Roussel did not get the better of the exchange as he lost his helmet right away.

The Stars earned another power play and the top line produced yet again when Benn put home a rebound off an attempted right circle one-timer from Radulov.

In his first game of the season due to the injury to Stephen Johns, Greg Pateryn got under the skin of the Oilers in the third period by finishing a check on McDavid after McDavid committed a minor tripping penalty on Radulov. The Stars generated a few shots, but couldn’t crack Cam Talbot.

The teams quickly exchanged two more power play opportunities. Dallas’ special teams were spectacular as they managed to stay perfect on the penalty kill, and score three goals on the power play. This time it was Esa Lindell, who crept in from the point and scored off of a rebound to pull ahead for the first time in the game. It was a welcome sight for Dallas to receive some kind of secondary scoring.

The game continued to see-saw when Pateryn gave the puck away on an attempted zone clear and the puck landed on Nugent-Hopkins’ stick in the slot, who tied the game. Dallas managed to avoid catastrophe when Drake Caggiula put a puck off the pipe on an open net.

The Oilers mustered up some puck luck and wrested the lead back from the Stars on a point shot deflection that bounced off of Radulov. It was what Edmonton needed to close out the game as Dallas was unable to generate anything in the closing seconds of the game with their net empty.

The Goals

First Period

10:31 As soon as their penalty was killed, Connor McDavid used his unfair speed to get past all of Dallas’ skaters, who were caught up ice and McDavid easily beat Ben Bishop. Stars 0, Oilers 1

11:34 Jamie Benn found his familiar spot in front of the net and Alex Radulov found his stick with a centering pass to tie the game. Stars 1, Oilers 1

19:35 Marc Methot had the puck bounce off of his skate into his own net while he was tied up with Leon Draisaitl. Patrick Maroon received credit for the goal. Stars 1, Oilers 2

Second Period

2:58 Tyler Seguin’s pass through the defense set up Alex Radulov for a one-timed power play goal to tie the game. Stars 2, Oilers 2

16:19 Benn scored his second goal of the night from a rebound off of a one-timer from Radulov. Stars 3, Oilers 3

Third Period

10:25 The Stars notch their third power play goal on the night as Esa Lindell scored off of a rebound to pull ahead by one. Stars 4, Oilers 3

12:16 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins beat Ben Bishop, who had a high traffic crease, from the slot after Greg Pateryn committed a turnover in his defensive zone. Stars 4, Oilers 4

17:33 A point shot from Matt Benning bounces off of Alex Radulov’s skate and redirects past Ben Bishop as the Oilers take the lead. Stars 4, Oilers 5

Oilers lineup
Patrick Maroon — Connor McDavid — Leon Draisaitl
Milan Lucic — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Mark Letestu
Drake Caggiula — Ryan Strome — Zack Kassian
Jussi Jokinen — Jujhap Khaira — Anton Slepyshev

Oscar Klefbom — Adam Larsson
Kris Russell — Darnell Nurse
Eric Gryba — Matt Benning

Cam Talbot
Laurent Brossoit

Injured: Andrej Sekera (knee)

Scratched: Iiro Pakarinen, Johann Auvitu, Kailer Yamamoto,

Stars lineup
Jamie Benn — Tyler Seguin — Brett Ritchie
Antione Roussel — Martin Hanzal — Jason Spezza
Devin Shore — Mattias Janmark — Alexander Radulov
Remi Elie — Radek Faksa — Tyler Pitlick

Marc Methot — John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis — Greg Pateryn
Jamie Oleksiak — Esa Lindell

Ben Bishop
Kari Lehtonen

Injured: Stephen Johns (concussion symptoms)

Scratched: Julius Honka, Gemel Smith

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