Jamie Benn scored 1:14 into overtime, giving the Dallas Stars a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers Saturday afternoon at Rogers Place.
“If you asked me what I thought the game was going to be like, it wouldn’t be a 5-4 game, it would be a 2-1 game,” Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said.
LISTEN BELOW: Oilers head coach Dave Tippett
Jason Dickinson opened the scoring 8:57 into the first. Jujhar Khaira came back eleven seconds later when his wrist shot slipped under Ben Bishop’s arm.
Mikko Koskinen pulled off a highlight reel save later in the first. Nick Caamano appeared to have an open net off a rebound, but Koskinen shot out his left arm to make a glove save. Leon Draisaitl swiped home his 16th of the season in the final minute of the frame to give the Oilers the lead.
“Those two players over there, you don’t even have to say their name, they’re special right?” Dickenson said of McDavid and Draisaitl.
“They’re going to create stuff, they’re going to make things happen and the key is to just minimize it and try to limit it to just one chance instead letting the rebound come out to them like Draisaitl’s goal there. I need to a better job right there to stop that rebound from getting to him.”
Miro Heiskanen swooped in from the point and flicked home a centring pass 46 seconds into the second. Khaira replied with his second of the afternoon three minutes later, and the Stars pulled Ben Bishop and put Anton Khudobin in goal.
Ethan Bear converted a pass from Connor McDavid for a power play late in the second to make it 4-2 Oilers.
“I thought the first two periods we played were played well, but by the end of it–they’re a good team over there and it’s a lesson for us to learn,” Khaira said.”
LISTEN BELOW: Connor McDavid
The Stars dominated the third period. Blake Comeau whacked in their third goal just past the five minute mark. Tyler Seguin ripped a shot past Koskinen to make it 4-4 with 1:49 left.
“Coaches said in the second intermission, we haven’t even played close to our best and that gave us more boost and I think the way we played in the third it showed what we’ve got,” Stars defenceman Esa Lindell said.
In overtime, Benn calmly tucked a backhand past Koskinen’s right skate and inside the post.
“I can’t believe it went in,” Benn said. “There’s never any quit in our team. Obviously you don’t want to give up four every night but those two kids over there, they’re going to score. They’re great players. You’ve got to tip your hat to them. We found a way to get five, and it was a great battle back by our team.”
“Obviously up 4-2 in your own building going into the third, you’ve got to find a way to get two points,” McDavid said.
LISTEN BELOW: Mikko Koskinen
The Stars are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games. The Oilers were 2/2 on the penalty kill and have killed off 20 straight.
“We’re in the middle of November. I want us to recognize that in the middle of March when we’re playing real hard games, those are the plays that really count,” Tippett said. “We’ll use it as a learning tool right now, but in the middle of March you’re not going to have time for learning tools. You need to be a good team by then if you want to be a playoff team.”
The Oilers, 13-6-3, will start a five-game road trip Tuesday in San Jose.
“Any time you’re going to go out and play a bunch of division rivals on the road it’s important,” McDavid said. “It’s a long trip and we need to find a way to come back with a couple of wins.”
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