Casey DeSmith made 31 saves, and Evgenii Dadonov and Thomas Harley scored first-period goals as the Dallas Stars defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday night in both teams’ first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston also scored for Dallas, while Jack Hughes netted both goals for New Jersey, with Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton assisting on both.
Game Summary
Dallas took early control as Dadonov scored at 3:58 of the first period with his 16th goal of the season. Harley doubled the lead just 1:46 later, beating Devils goaltender Jake Allen on a power play for his 10th goal of the year. Harley, who leads all Stars defensemen with 30 points, showcased his offensive skill from the blue line.
The game tightened in the third when Hughes broke DeSmith’s shutout bid with a power-play goal at the 10-minute mark, cutting the lead to 2-1. However, Duchene quickly responded 35 seconds later, restoring the two-goal cushion with his 23rd goal of the season.
Hughes struck again at 11:40, bringing the Devils back within one goal before Johnston sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:50.
Allen finished with 22 saves in the loss.
Takeaways
- Devils: New Jersey fell to 15-10-4 at home and has struggled recently at Prudential Center, going 2-4-1 in its last seven home games. The Devils now embark on a five-game road trip, including a March 4 rematch against Dallas.
- Stars: Dallas improved to 16-11-1 on the road, solidifying its second-place position in the Central Division with 74 points.
Key Moment
Dadonov’s early goal set the tone for Dallas, allowing the Stars to dictate the pace and build a crucial first-period lead.
Key Stat
DeSmith improved to 10-6-0 and made several key saves, including a point-blank stop on Bratt with under nine minutes left in the third period, preserving Dallas’ lead.
Up Next
Both teams are back in action on Sunday:
- Devils visit Nashville.
- Stars face the New York Islanders.
