Wyatt Johnston helps Stars fend off Jets 3-2; Winnipeg's three-game win streak ends
WINNIPEG — Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist as the Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Saturday afternoon.
Thomas Harley and Matt Duchene also scored for the Stars (9-3-1).
Scott Wedgewood made 31 saves in net for Dallas.
Cole Perfetti and Brenden Dillon replied for Winnipeg (7-5-2), as goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Jets.
It was the second of a five-game homestand for Winnipeg.
The Jets pulled to within a goal midway through the third period when Dillon’s screened shot from the point beat Wedgewood. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor assisted on the goal.
Dallas had taken a 3-1 lead into the third period. The Stars scored their third goal of the middle frame on the power play. With Dillon off for tripping, Duchene scored from alone in front when he was set up by Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov just as Dillon’s penalty was about to expire.
The Jets had pulled to within 2-1 when Perfetti converted a rebound of a Nikolaj Ehlers point shot. Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov had the helpers.
Dallas took a 2-0 lead while shorthanded when Johnston stole the puck from Perfetti inside the Jets blue line, then fired a shot past a surprised Hellebuyck.
After a scoreless first period, the Stars had pounced on Winnipeg early in the second. After a goal-mouth scramble, the puck came out to Harley, who fired the puck past Hellebuyck. Ryan Suter assisted.
Hellebuyck made several great saves in the opening 20 minutes. He was sharp on a snipe from Duchene during an early Stars power play. He also stopped a drive from Dadonov.
Wedgewood also had to be sharp in the first, stopping dangerous shots by Mason Appleton, Brenden Dillon and Perfetti, who also hit the crossbar on a backhand when he had a breakaway.
UP NEXT — Winnipeg will host the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday while the Stars will play the Wild in Minnesota on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2023.
Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
