Stars witness Jamie Benn’s resurgence with a two-goal performance to defeat Pittsburgh
Benn experienced three separate scoring droughts that lasted for more than ten games each: 11 games in December, 12 games in January, and 12 games in February.
However, since rookie Logan Stankoven joined the line to replace the injured Dadonov, Benn has rediscovered his spark. He played a pivotal role in helping the Stars secure a two-goal lead against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, ultimately leading to a 4-2 victory and concluding their home stand on a high note.
Stars head coach Pete DeBoer spoke highly of Benn after the game, praising his selflessness and willingness to defer credit. However, DeBoer acknowledged that wanting to contribute personally can weigh on players. He expressed his satisfaction with Benn finding his groove again.
Benn scored a power-play goal six minutes into the second period and quickly followed it up with another goal just over one minute later. These goals propelled Dallas into an advantageous position heading into the final period. This marked Benn’s first multi-goal game of this season and his first since November 11th, 2022. He has now scored goals in three consecutive games – his longest scoring streak of this season – and has six goals in his last eight games.
Despite falling behind early for the second consecutive game against a non-playoff team, Dallas found their footing when Joe Pavelski tied up the score five minutes later. It was during this period that Benn took control of proceedings. The Stars capitalized on their first power play with Benn firing an accurate shot from the left circle just 22 seconds into their man advantage.
Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson provided assists on that goal. Robertson ended up with two assists for the night as he also assisted Pavelski’s goal. Although he scored an empty-net goal which was disallowed due to being offside.
Less than two minutes after his power-play goal, Stankoven set up Benn for another score from an awkward angle where he managed to bounce it off Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry’s pads.
DeBoer praised Benn’s leadership qualities for becoming more physically engaged during that period as it helped set an example for other players on how they should approach playing physically.
Sam Steel extended Dallas’ lead midway through the third period forcing Pittsburgh to replace Jarry with Alex Nedeljkovic as they chased goals desperately.
The Stars have seen consistent offensive contributions from their fourth line recently as Steel’s goal marked their seventh in nine games.
In addition to strong offensive performances, the Stars’ defenseย and goaltending were instrumental
in securing the victory. Dallas limited Pittsburgh to just eight shots on goal throughoutย the opening half-hour.
Goaltender Oettinger made crucial saves, stopping 20 out of 22 shots, with one notable save coming during a crucial moment late in the second period when Dallas held only a two-goal lead.
Following three wins out of five at home, the Stars will embark on a four-game road trip. Their momentum gained over these past two weeks will be vital as they aim to find success using multiple strategies.
Friday night showcased Captain Jamie Benn stepping up when needed most. With contributions primarily coming from lines three and four, Dallas’ depth continues to improve each gameโsomething invaluable for playoff aspirations. Head coach DeBoer expressed delight at finally seeing regular contributions from those lines after seeking them all year long.