Jamie Benn had a hat trick as the Dallas Stars dominated the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 Saturday afternoon at Rogers Place.
“We laid an egg tonight,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said post-game. “That’s the first time I’ve seen that this year — where we didn’t have it in all facets of the game and to a man, we weren’t good enough, it’s not on one person.”
The Stars top line produced the first goal of the game with Joe Pavelski being set up by Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. Derek Ryan had a breakaway out of the penalty box for the Oilers but his forehand deke went off the goal post.
In the second period, Colin Miller’s long slapshot went off Jack Campbell’s glove and in to make it 2-0. The Oilers replied with Leon Draisaitl using his patented one-timer to cash in on the power play.
“It’s pathetic how I’ve been playing,” Campbell lamented post-game. “I owe it to this team to bring my A-game and they haven’t seen it yet. I’m going to keep working hard and get through this and be there for the guys.”
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Jason Robertson put Dallas ahead 3-1 when his shot from the left side hit the post, hit Campbell in the back and squirted over the line. Benn tapped in a power play goal 45 seconds later.
“I’m confident Jack is going to put the work in. He’s a great teammate and we have confidence in him, he’ll continue to work through it, just as any other position player that struggles,” Woodcroft said.
Darnell Nurse gave the Oilers a bit of life with his third goal of the season early in the third, but Benn scored another power play goal just 20 seconds later to make it 5-2 Dallas. Benn completed the hat trick with a shot over Campbell’s glove on a two-on-one.
“He made some big saves to keep us in and we didn’t reciprocate the effort on the other end,” Nurse said of Campbell.
The Oilers, 7-5, will visit the Washington Capitals on Monday (630 CHED, Face-off Show at 4:30 p.m., game at 6 p.m.).
— With files from Brenden Escott, 630 CHED.
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