The Dallas Stars scored six goals in the final 40 minutes in a 6-1 win against the Ottawa Senators at American Airlines Center on Sunday.

Benn’s 400th & A low event period is A okay

Ahead of the game, the Stars held a ceremony to celebrate Jamie Benn’s 400th NHL goal.

The ceremony was minimal, which feels like a perfect Benn celebration. Benn has looked uninterested in the entire chase, the goal itself, the appreciation on Friday, and the ceremony tonight. I am sure he’s ready for this to be done.

Did he take so long to get 400 because he didn’t want the appreciation?

Benn also had a special fan in attendance tonight.

For the first time, Benn’s son, Knox, came to his Dad’s work. And Benn was added to the long list of family moments on the glass ahead of Stars games.

Dallas also posted some love for Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque, who skated in their 400th and 100th career games, respectively.

The first period was pretty low-event hockey, and that’s okay. Dallas created a few chances, most coming off Ottawa turnovers. This is excellent because the Sens are one of the best forechecking teams in the NHL. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan was ready for that and said their ability to play physical and handle the forecheck would be key to beating the Sens.

So far, so good.

Not only are the Stars having success on their own forecheck, but they have mostly eliminated Ottawa’s with quick ups and simple breakouts. They have used the high lob to get it to neutral ice, have quickly rimmed the puck to a winger, who tips it out, and have made quick passes as soon as they get back instead of holding on for the perfect play.

It’s only been 20 minutes, and I expect Ottawa to put more prioritization on it — since it is a huge part of their offense — but Dallas has done a nice job so far.

And just like Jake Oettinger did on Friday, Casey DeSmith debuted a new ’99 pad and mask setup tonight. And just like Oettingers… It’s nice. DeSmith went with mostly dark pads, which Oettinger would not do ever again.

The injuries just will not stop

I want to start this rather negative section with a positive.

So before we get to another injury, let’s look at Jason Robertson’s latest goal.

Robertson is streaking right now. He is, all of a sudden, tied for fourth with 16 goals. But we can also talk about how Ottawa did everything in its power to gift Robertson his 16th goal?

From a whiffed clearing attempt, to completely bailing on coverage, to no help whatsoever, and finally, a defenseman backing and backing and backing up until he gave Robertson a wide-open shot from the hashmarks and screened his own goalie.

Yes, No. 21 will take that.

Alright, I tried to be positive. But this part is not all positive. It’s another defensive injury. This time, to Lian Bichsel.

Late in the second, Bichsel clipped skates with Fabian Zetterlund as the two were moving toward a loose puck near the benches. Bichsel’s skate looks to get stuck in the ice, twist, and then the big defender slams feet-first into the boards. He immediately grabbed at his left ankle/knee, stayed down on the ice in pain for a bit, and was helped off without putting any weight on his left leg.

Bichsel broke his left ankle in 2023, needed surgery, and then had surgery to remove the plate from it this offseason.

He did not return to the game, and Gulutzan said Bichsel will be evaluated further on Monday. The coaching staff is hoping it is not as serious as they initially thought. With a day off tomorrow, we won’t know more until Tuesday’s morning skate in New York.

If Bichsel is out for any time, Dallas will once again be down to the minimum six roster defensemen, as Ilya Lyubushkin just made his return after missing two weeks with a lower-body injury.

This power play (and Wyatt Johnston) is so good — and how about the captain?

The NHL’s best power play was at it again tonight. And so was Wyatt Johnston on said power play.

Dallas entered the game with the best power play, ripping at 31.8%. They scored again when Johnston was all alone in the slot to bury this rebound.

As you likely read on the Victory+ post above, Johnston also scored an even-strength goal and added an assist on Benn’s third-period tally. OH, and he scored a second power-play goal, his third of the game… yet ANOTHER hat trick for the 22-year-old. Johnston now has four career hat tricks and 12 power-play goals (leads the league) in only 26 games.

Kid is absolutely absurd.

Oh, speaking of Benn’s third-period tally…

Benn, meanwhile, has three goals in four games and six points in only seven games back from surgery to repair a collapsed lung. I know the Stars — or at least media and fans — were worried about their left-wing depth ahead of the season, but Benn punching above what we thought he could be and Robertson scoring 10 goals a game have boosted that tremendously.

It helps when Mikko Rantanen keeps doing this… Rantanen finished with three primary assists.

The Stars are 10-1-1 on their last 12 games, still only four points back of unstoppable Colorado, and are having a lot of fun doing it.

If this is “figuring things out” like Gulutzan has said they are still doing, I don’t know what “figured it out” looks like.

Quotable

Stars coach Glen Gulutzan

“Probably our most complete game of the year. The big four; goaltending was great, PP was great, PK was real solid, and I thought our 5-on-5 play was probably the best of the year defensively. When you get those four things all working, it’s hard to beat…

“I think even after we played Edmonton the first time here at home, I could see our team switch turning on… And now you’re seeing everything come together. But, you know, it’s one night. Problem with the league is it’s an everyday league. You’ve got to do it night after night.”