Stars Edge Blues 5–4 with Benn’s 23-second drama
I think this is who the stars are now.
In what can only be described as a hockey game with more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan script, the Dallas Stars once again found a way to beat the St. Louis Blues at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night – this time on a goal with 23 seconds left on the clock. The final score: 5–4, Stars over Blues. Seriously, are we doing this again? Yes, we do this AGAIN.
The evening went like an exciting sitcom with three acts:
- Act I: Blues strike first and take a 2-1 lead.
- Act II: The Stars respond with a barrage, scoring three goals in the second period, creating a 4-2 lead.
- Act III: The Blues stage a furious comeback to level the score at 4-4 in the third – paving the way for more magic at the end of the game.
As the clock draws closer Netflix-and-not-yet-chill territory, veteran captain Jamie Benn finally ended his longest goal drought of the season, delivering the match winner with barely time for Blues fans to exhale.
Coach Notes
After the game, Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan emerged from the locker room looking like a man who had just played a high-stakes game. Where’s my goalkeeper? Here’s what Gulutzan had to say after Wednesday night’s game.
GULUTZAN: “Our record is out, and all we can do is try to get better.”
On Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene’s recent resurgence:
GULUTZAN: “Once Dutchy and Benny started the games, getting injured, you can see it helps the team.”
Important moments in a nutshell
- The Blues took an early lead Pavel Bukhnevich puts them on the power play.
- Stars’ Jason Robertson reached a franchise milestone with his 200th NHL goal before responding with assists later.
- Dallas exploded in the second, outscoring St. Louis 3-0 in the middle period.
- Blues fought back to make things interesting in the third and set up the dramatic Benn finish.
If this game had a subtitle it would be: “Why leave room for dessert when you can have the game winner in the final seconds?”
Final whistle
With the buzzer sounding and fans still checking their watches, the Stars extended their winning streak to six games: all by one goal and three against St. Louis – strengthen their talent last-second heroics.
The Blues, meanwhile, can laugh about their misfortune later once they recover another near miss.
Stars enter the break streak
The Dallas stars have been shot Olympic break with a six-match winning streakthe club’s longest winning streak this season and one of the most impactful periods in recent franchise play.
A key factor in this series will be balanced scoring and timely contributions from multiple parts of the lineup. In addition to Benn’s late-game heroics, Jason Robertson reached the 200-goal milestone with a goal and an assist in the Blues match, while Matt Duchene and Thomas Harley also provided big plays earlier in the streak – including an extra-time winner against Winnipeg. This depth has helped the Stars win close games; A number of their wins in this stretch have been decided by one goal, highlighting their competitive advantage in tight matches.
Another pillar of Dallas’ recent success has been goal stability and defensive contributions at the right times. Jake Oettinger’s performance in net was particularly sharp, producing key saves in close games that kept the Stars in contention until late. Combined with contributions from defensemen like Miro Heiskanen in creating offense and breaking down opposing offenses, this back-end support complements Dallas’ forwards and has helped maintain momentum.
Intangibles like late-game resilience and composure have defined this streak. The Stars have endured repeated adversity, including overcoming opponent comebacks in the third period and capitalizing in the final minutes – traits that are emblematic of teams that find success deep into the season. The leadership of veteran figures like Benn, combined with the emerging clutch instincts of younger players, has given Dallas a mix of urgency and confidence as they enter the midseason break. Now Stars fans are clinging to the hope that the green boys don’t come back from another break in the season with the same energy they showed after the Christmas break.
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