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Win Streak Hits a Wall as Stars Fall Prey to Predators 5-2

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The lustrous yellow of the Jere Lehtinen laces worn by the Stars during this incredible stretch of play was finally snuffed out by the Nashville Predators–a team serious about yellow. Though the Predators were playing their second game in two nights, and on the road, they took the Stars’s lunch money and won in convincing fashion 5-2 improving their record in the Central to 8-1-1. What was supposed to be a measuring stick to gauge the Stars as a contender turned into an humiliating, mistake-ridden night.

Stars captain Jamie Benn has to be smarter. He was incensed with a late check from Alexei Emelin and voiced his displeasure with a cross check right in front of the linesman. It proved to be a troublesome time for Benn to lose his composure as it led to the Predators scoring the first goal of the game and forcing the Stars to do something they haven’t had to do in several games–chase. The Predators finished the game going 2-for-3 on the power play. The second power play goal was scored by Mattias Ekholm in the second period, and it  essentially ended the game.

Drawing into the lineup were Curtis McKenzie for a still recovering Antoine Roussel, and Jamie Oleksiak. McKenzie and Oleksiak were involved in back to back scrapes in the second period that resulted in the Stars getting the better of both of their opponents. Oleksiak scored his first goal of the season with less than a minute left in the game and finished with a Gordie Howe hat trick.

However, the Stars’s pugilistic tactics only served to quicken their demise as the Predators scored twice in quick succession. Both were first goals of the season for Pontus Aberg and Cody McLeod. The McLoed goal put the Predators up 3-0 and Ben Bishop’s night was ended with him posting an .800 SV%. Kari Lehtonen didn’t fare much better with an .882 SV%. Stephen Johns scored his third goal of the season and got the Stars on the board early in the third period with a slap shot from the point.

Dallas went 0-for-2 on the power play and yielded a shorthanded goal to Calle Jarnkrok who finished with a goal and an assist. Juuse Saros drew the start in net for Nashville and rewarded his team with 43 saves on 45 shots. The Stars are going to have to flush this one rather quickly with a date with the Blues looming in St. Louis on Thursday night.

Play of the Game

The two successive goals of Cody McLeod and Pontus Aberg completely deflated the Stars. Not only were they the first goals of the season for both players, they also put the kibosh on any momentum Dallas attempted to muster after winning two fights. The McLeod goal was a lucky bounce, but the Stars failed to respond, and the Aberg goal occurred less than two minutes later.

The Upset Three Stars of the Game

1. Juuse Saros (.956 SV%) – Saros did an outstanding job of filling in for Pekka Rinne on the second night of a back-to-back. He didn’t allow a goal until the third period, when the game was well in hand for the Predators, and finished with 43 saves on 45 shots.

2. Calle Jarnkrok (1 SHG, 1 A, 4 blocks) – Jarnkrok was in all the right places on the ice all night and added to the embarrassment with a shorthanded goal.

3. Mattias Ekholm (2 A, 4 blocks) – Ekholm tallied two helpers, set a perfect screen for the Kyle Turris PP goal, and played a strong game in all three zones.

The Goals

First Period

15:49 Kevin Fiala made Jamie Benn pay for losing his cool and committing a cross check. Stephen Johns was up too high on the penalty kill and lost a puck battle to Fiala who had a ton of open ice and beat Ben Bishop short side. Jamie Oleksiak was in front of the net but hesitant to abandon his man in an attempt to make a play. Stars 0, Predators 1

Second Period

2:48 The Predators won a neutral zone face-off and dumped the puck into the offensive zone. The puck took an awkward bounce off of Stephen Johns that ended up on the stick of Cody McLeod. Ben Bishop was out of his net as he was expecting to slow the forecheck on a routine dump in, and he couldn’t recover in time as McLeod scored his first goal of the season. Stars 0, Predators 2

4:26 The Stars were caught chasing the puck and Calle Jarnkrok made them pay with a cross ice pass that found Pontus Aberg. Aberg beat Ben Bishop for his first goal of the season which resulted in Bishop being pulled in favor of Kari Lehtonen. Stars 0, Predators 3

7:34 The recently acquired top line center Kyle Turris scored the second power play goal of the night for the Predators. He shot from the left circle, and Kari Lehtonen couldn’t see a thing as he was being heavily screened by Mattias Ekholm. Stars 0, Predators 4

15:06 The Predators scored a shorthanded goal late in the second period. John Klingberg whiffed on a one timer at the blue line, and it set up a rush for the penalty killing Predators. Austin Watson skated around the back of the net and found Calle Jarnkrok all alone for the back door tap in. Stars 0, Predators 5

Third Period

1:27 The Stars won a face-off in the offensive zone and got the puck back to Stephen Johns who promptly fired a wrist shot to beat Juuse Saros for the first time of the game. Stars 1, Predators 5

19:18 Jamie Oleksiak scored his first goal of the season late in the third period to give the Stars a shred of silver lining in the game. He took the puck on the rush and threw it in front of the net to get the lucky bounce off a defender’s skate. Stars 2, Predators 5

Predators lineup
Kevin Fiala — Kyle Turris — Craig Smith
Filip Forsberg — Calle Jarnkrok — Pontus Aberg
Colton Sissons — Nick Bonino — Viktor Arvidsson
Cody McLeod — Frederick Gaudreau — Austin Watson

Roman Josi — Mattias Ekholm
Alexei Emelin — P.K. Subban
Anthony Bitetto — Yannick Weber

Juuse Saros
Pekka Rinne

Injured: Ryan Ellis (knee), Scott Hartnell (lower body), Ryan Johansen (upper body)

Scratched: Matt Irwin, Miikka Salomaki

Stars lineup
Jamie Benn — Tyler Seguin — Alexander Radulov
Mattias Janmark — Jason Spezza — Devin Shore
Remi Elie — Radek Faksa — Tyler Pitlick
Curtis McKenzie — Gemel Smith — Brett Ritchie

Esa Lindell — John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis — Greg Pateryn
Jamie Oleksiak — Stephen Johns

Ben Bishop
Kari Lehtonen

Injured: Martin Hanzal (hamstring), Methot (knee)

Scratched: Julius Honka, Antoine Roussel

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