CALGARY, Alberta — As the hockey season churns, there’s a tendency for concern to morph into worry, for worry to transform into panic. Losses pile, issues multiply and promising seasons can be thrown into a tailspin.
Reaching the depths of a five-game losing streak before notching even one regulation win would hasten that process.
By beating the Flames 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, the Stars staved off distress and instilled hope by beating one of the Western Conference’s best teams in the early season.
Jamie Benn won the game 2:59 into overtime with a wrist shot from the slot.
Dallas remains one of just two teams without a regulation win this season.
Tyler Seguin gave the Stars the lead 94 seconds into the third period by tipping home an Alexander Radulov point shot. It was Seguin’s fourth goal of the season, and marked his sixth point in his last six games. Nikita Zadorov tied the game with 3:57 left in the third period.
Miro Heiskanen had three assists in another all-around performance for the 22-year-old defenseman.
Denis Gurianov scored in his first game back after a healthy scratch in Winnipeg, tapping home a sweet cross-ice pass from Heiskanen on a first-period power play. Blake Comeau scored with 5.6 seconds left in the second period, beating Jacob Markstrom from distance to make up for his high-sticking penalty that led to a Calgary 5-on-3 power play and a Matthew Tkachuk goal.
Milan Lucic also scored for the Flames, as his second-period deflection fluttered past Anton Khudobin and trickled into the net.
The second period again proved troublesome for the Stars, as it often has this season. The Flames made their push in the opening 15 minutes of the period, but did not capitalize until the final five minutes with Lucic and Tkachuk’s tallies. Calgary outshot the Stars 15-6 during the middle frame.
The Stars entered Thursday night with a minus-6 goal differential in the second period, tied for the fourth-worst in the NHL.
The issues that plagued the Stars in the season’s first nine games was an inability to manage the game, to withstand pushes and to remain standing at the end. They faded for long stretches of games, including in the second period Tuesday in Winnipeg. It was part of the reason why Dallas was playing Thursday to avoid its fifth five-game losing streak in the last three seasons.
The Stars survived Thursday.
Comeau’s tally spelled the Flames tide, and Seguin’s goal made certain that the Stars’ top forwards continued to score. Now, Dallas has a chance to go into Vancouver on Sunday, and finish the three-game road trip with five of a possible six points.
