The Dallas Stars will try to extend their winning streak to a season-best four games on Thursday, but they will need to win on the road against the Montreal Canadiens, who lead the NHL’s Atlantic Division.
The Stars needed to rally from a 2-0 first-period deficit Tuesday to win 3-2 in overtime at Ottawa. Jason Robertson scored the game-tying goal with 12 minutes remaining in regulation and assisted on the other two goals, including the game-winner by Roope Hintz with 1:56 left in the extra session.
Of the Stars’ 10 wins, nine have been by one goal.
Thursday’s game wraps up a two-game road trip, but it will also be the second of four straight against Eastern Conference foes. On Wednesday, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters the style of play he’s seeing from teams in the East differs from that in the West.
“A little bit more wall work,” he said. “A lot heavier pinching teams, it seems anyway. That’s the one thing that we have to adjust to is getting a little better on the walls, and really come playoff time, it’s a lot of wall play.”
Robertson, 26, has eight points (one goal, seven assists) across five of his last six games. His goal on Tuesday snapped a nine-game drought.
The Canadiens are coming off their worst loss of the season, a 5-1 decision at home Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings scored three times in a span of 4:05 early in the second period to take control of the game.
Sam Montembeault gave up the first four goals before the Kings got an empty-netter with 4:28 remaining. The Habs’ goalie has struggled this season. Among all netminders who have played nine games so far this season, the 29-year-old has the worst save percentage (.861) and the second-highest goals-against average (3.52).
The Canadiens will play Jakub Dobes in net on Thursday. The 24-year-old Czech is 6-0-1 in seven games this season with a 2.25 GAA and a .920 save percentage.
On Wednesday, Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said the decision to go with Dobes against the Stars was planned. He last played on Nov. 6.
The second-year goalie played against Dallas last season. Dobes stopped 32 shots in a Canadiens 3-1 road win on Jan. 16.
St. Louis also gave Montembeault a vote of confidence in speaking to reporters Wednesday.
“I just think his attitude, his work ethic, his body of work,” St. Louis said when asked about the signs he sees from Montembeault. “There’s so many things.”
Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots for Dallas in Tuesday’s victory to earn his fourth victory in his last six games (4-1-1). In seven games against Montreal, the American sports a 5-2 record with a 2.48 GAA and a .907 save percentage.
Both teams have players ranked in the top 10 in the league in goal-scoring. Montreal’s Cole Caufield entered Wednesday tied for second with 12 goals, and his 11 at even-strength top the league.
Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston is among nine skaters in a tie for 10th with 10 goals. Seven of those have come on the power-play, which also leads the NHL.
–Field Level Media
