On the heels of their latest comeback victory, the Dallas Stars look to extend their winning streak to four games Friday when they visit the Anaheim Ducks.
The Stars’ streak looked to be in jeopardy Tuesday in San Jose, as the Sharks held a 6-3 lead with just 7:02 remaining in the third period. However, a tally from Logan Stankoven and two goals from Wyatt Johnston forced overtime, and Roope Hintz then scored the OT winner for the unlikely victory.
Dallas has 17 wins this season when trailing first in a game, and only the New Jersey Devils (19) have more successful comebacks.
“We know that we can come back no matter the situation …” Johnston said. “I think we proved it too many times this year putting ourselves in that situation, but we have that confidence when we’re down, that we can come back and finish the game off.”
Johnston collected his first NHL hat trick as well as two assists. The 20-year-old forward is the youngest player in Stars franchise history to post a five-point game.
As Johnston has continued to blossom in his second season, Stankoven has taken over as the Stars’ new rookie sensation. Stankoven had two goals and two assists against the Sharks, and has already recorded eight points (five goals, three assists) in his first six career NHL games.
Dallas holds a two-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets and the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division and could find help via reinforcements before Friday’s trade deadline.
The struggling Ducks have already started moving veteran players elsewhere.
Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick were dealt to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday as part of a three-team trade that also involved the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anaheim received two 2024 draft picks (including a first-round selection) in return while also dealing a seventh-round draft pick.
“You understand why Edmonton grabbed guys like that to help them on their run, so it’s going to be tough for us here,” Ducks forward Alex Killorn said. “But we kind of understood coming in that those guys might be gone, so we were kind of expecting it in a sense.”
Despite the roster uncertainty and recent injuries to key players, Anaheim is 3-1-0 in its past four games. The Ducks were outshot 30-16 on Wednesday but still earned a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators.
Goaltender Lukas Dostal has started the Ducks’ past three games with John Gibson battling an illness. Gibson was healthy enough for backup duty Wednesday and could return to action against Dallas.
Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, and Leo Carlsson are all questionable for Friday. McTavish has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury, while Carlsson (three-game absence) and Terry (one game) are dealing with upper-body injuries.
Since the Stars play the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, Jake Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood will probably split the back-to-back starts. Wedgewood may be the likelier choice to face the Ducks, as Oettinger may need more time to regroup after allowing six goals on 20 shots against San Jose.
The Stars have won both meetings with the Ducks this season. Dallas is 11-2-0 in its past 13 games with Anaheim, dating back to the 2018-19 season.
– Field Level Media
