Dallas seeks its fourth straight win on Sunday when the second-place squad in the Central Division hosts Ottawa.
The Stars won 4-3 Friday over the Utah Mammoth despite allowing their guests to go up 2-0 less than 13 minutes into the contest. Dallas’ power play keyed the comeback as it went 2-for-5, which included Wyatt Johnston’s goal with 1:27 left in the second that served as the game-winner.
Friday’s win was the third in four days for the Stars and coach Glen Gulutzan noted how the travel involved in that span — from Edmonton to Seattle to Dallas — sapped his team. In those instances, Gulutzan says it’s important to rely on power-play lines and penalty-killers.
“You need your specialty teams and your goaltender, because chances are 5-on-5 you might take in some water, and that’s what happened (Friday night),” he said.
The Stars denied the Mammoth on their two power-play chances as goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots in the win, including all nine in the third period.
Johnston scored his 13th goal, and his NHL-best 10th power-play goal, on Friday. He leads the league’s deadliest power play as the Stars boast the most goals (27) and highest conversion rate (31.8%). That unit could be especially dangerous Sunday as the Senators’ penalty kill ranks next to last in the league, stopping just 71% of their opponents’ chances.
Oettinger has won six of his last seven games, and his 11 wins are tied for second in the league entering Saturday’s games. Casey DeSmith, his backup, is tied for fifth in save percentage (.919) and fifth in goals-against average (2.20) among goaltenders who’ve played at least six games.
Dallas is the next-to-last stop for the Senators on their season-long seven-game road trip. They have won three of the first five, including wins at Anaheim and Vegas. However, Ottawa had an outcome opposite of Dallas on Friday as the Senators allowed St. Louis to score three third-period goals in a 4-3 loss.
The loss left Senators coach Travis Green upset, saying after the game that his team’s uncharacteristic play late cost them two points.
Ottawa practiced Saturday.
“You tend to lose a little execution in your games if you don’t practice,” Green said Saturday.
Friday’s game marked the return of forward Brady Tkachuk, who missed 20 games due to a thumb injury that required surgery. The team captain registered an assist in his first game since Oct. 13.
Having last season’s leading goal-scorer back on the ice should be a boost for the Senators, as Tkachuk scored 29 times in just 72 games last season.
The Senators also are happy to see another scorer get hot on the trip. Fabian Zetterlund has just four goals in 24 games, but three have come in the last four games. The 26-year-old forward scored 24 goals for San Jose two seasons ago and 19 between the Sharks and Senators last season.
Tkachuk may not be the only veteran returning soon. Ridly Greig skated in practice Saturday and Green indicated the center, 23, could play Sunday after dealing with an undisclosed injury that has kept him out since Nov. 15.
Leevi Merilainen started in net for Ottawa on Friday, meaning Linus Ullmark likely will face Dallas. The Senators’ top goalie has won his last three starts, which coincide with Ottawa’s three wins on this road trip.
When the teams played in Ottawa on Nov. 11, the Stars rallied from a 2-0 first-period hole to win 3-2 on Roope Hintz’ overtime goal.
