WINNIPEG, Manitoba _ With each passing goal during the Stars' 5-1 loss in Winnipeg on Tuesday night, Anton Khudobin's reaction to the disarray in front of him spiraled as his team's losing streak reached four games.
When Winnipeg's third goal of the night was ushered into the Dallas net on a deflection by teammate Mattias Janmark, Khudobin simply shrugged. When Winnipeg's fourth goal of the night killed any Stars momentum and Patrik Laine finished a 3 on 2, Khudobin flung the puck into the protective netting in the corner.
As the horn signaled the end of the second period, Khudobin snapped his stick against the goal post. When Mark Sheifele put the finishing touch on the night with a wraparound goal, Khudobin laid in the crease before sweeping the puck to center ice.
It was tough to blame Khudobin. The Stars gave him little help on Tuesday night.
The Stars (15-11-3) submitted a limp effort in Winnipeg, perhaps their worst game since October losses to Pittsburgh or Buffalo or Washington, and in stark contrast to their recent form. Dallas ripped off a 12-game point streak and a seven-game win streak. Even during a three-game losing streak entering Tuesday night, the Stars had chances to win games against Chicago, St. Louis and Minnesota.
Tuesday provided no such hope.
"I never look forward to playing the Jets," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said before the game.
Khudobin did his part, making 25 saves, trying to shut down the Jets when the Stars defense sagged. In the second period, he made saves on a pair of Winnipeg breakaways, first by Scheifele and then by Nikolaj Ehlers. He stoned Kyle Connor on a pair of consecutive shots from the inner slot.
Miro Heiskanen scored his seventh goal of the season, a beautiful cut through the heart of the Jets defense before roofing a shot past Connor Hellebuyck. For the second time in three games, the Stars and video coach Kelly Forbes nullified a goal with an offside challenge, wiping off Laine's goal just 13 seconds into the game.
The rest of the game resembled one that the Stars played early in the season, when they got off to a 1-7-1 start before rebounding into a playoff spot by Thanksgiving. The odd-man rushes surrendered were aplenty. The net-front battles were lost frequently (both Ehlers and Connor scored by winning position in front of the net). Dallas mustered 25 shots on goal, many in the waning moments of the third period.
The Stars get another chance against Winnipeg on Thursday night, when the two teams play for the fourth time in Dallas' first 30 games.
"A little mini playoff series," Tyler Seguin said before the game. "I think we're looking forward to it, I'm sure they are too. At the end of these two games, the standings are going to be a little different. We feel like we're prepared and we're excited to get going."
At the end of the first game of the week, the standings favor Winnipeg (17-10-1), who have a two-point lead on the Stars. Dallas _ which was just two points from the division lead just last week _ is now nine points behind the Central Division-leading Blues.
