The Dallas Stars found a way to steal the extra point and pull within two points of the Central Division lead in a 2-1 shootout win against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Wednesday.

Stars lines

• Robertson – Johnston – Bourque
• Steel – Duchene – Benn
• Bunting – Hryckowian – Blackwell
• Erne – Bäck – Bastian

• Lindell – Heiskanen
• Harley – Lundkvist
• Bichsel – Myers  

• Oettinger
• DeSmith

Scratches: Petrovic, Capobianco, Hyry, Lyubushkin, Hintz (injured).

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The Central Division lead is now just two points for Colorado. With one game in hand.

Sure, it would have been great to win in regulation. But stealing a point, especially in a game which Dallas was outplayed for large chunks, is huge.

Since the beginning of their 15-game point streak in late January, Dallas has now gained 10 points on Colorado. That is quite the accomplishment, as it is incredibly hard to gain that much ground, especially when the team you’re chasing never seems to lose.

The Stars have done this largely without Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen, Radek Faksa, and completely without Tyler Seguin. I have already written about this, but it is just so dang impressive. Jake Oettinger was great tonight, stopping 33 of 34 and all three in the shootout. The Stars defended very well, with each defenseman making a key play in a big moment. They stuck with it despite not having their best game.

And they found a way get right back in the win column after their first regulation loss in 55 days and second overall loss in 16 games.

Live game notebook

Period 1

• I never get sick of Jake Oettinger vs Scott Wedgewood. Just so happy for Wedgewood, good friend and friend of the DLLS show, for all he has accomplished after betting on himself and signing in Nashville for a raise. He has been one of the best stories in hockey this season and has currently earned the starting spot in Denver.
• These two teams are so even, it’s crazy. Top of the league in a ton of stats, deep, good goaltending, and tons of talent. The only big difference is that Dallas is able to use that talent to score a ton of power-play goals, while Colorado is horrendous 5v4. HA! Foreshadowing.
• Mavrik Bourque has a good one or two seconds more patience than he did last year and early in the season. It is great to see and makes him such a better player, able to make plays he normally couldn’t.
• Thomas Harley fumbled a puck at the opposing blue line… Always a big no-no… especially when you send Valeri Nichushkin in on a breakaway. But Harley did a good job getting back to rush Val, and Oettinger squeezed the arm to make the save. Already a ridiculous pace again tonight.
• When the puck is on the wall, the size of Lian Bichsel and Tyler Myers is quite evident. They end plays and shield forwards with their bodies quite well. Tough to get much going on the forecheck. Parker Kelly learned that the hard way trying to throw a hit on Myers in the corner.

• Dallas has done a great job protecting the house despite a lot of zone time for Colorado. Not much push the other way so far outside of the Stars lone power play.
• Jason Robertson gets a good chance with a one-timer from the top of the right circle. Dallas’ first shot of the game comes with just under four minutes left in the first. Colorado has three.
• Colorado has a terrible power play… somehow. Yet, against Dallas, they have now scored four power-play goals in two games and one period. Not a good sign if these two teams meet in the playoffs. This time, it was Cale Makar with a one-timer in the slot after Dallas got spinning on the PK. That’s three consecutive 20-goal seasons for Makar.

Avalanche 1, Stars 0

Period 2

• Stars get their best chance on a 2-on-1 with Wyatt Johnston and Robertson after a beautiful long saucer pass by Harley from behind the Dallas blue line. Johnston gets a second chance on the wraparound, Wedgewood denied again.
• Myers now runs through Kelly in the corner. Big, big hit.

• Even when Miro Heiskanen looks out of position or beaten, he makes an elite poke check and ends the rush. Did it again down the far wall.
• Robertson ties the game on a wacky goal.

• Makar nailed Heiskanen with a cross check up high in the chest. Threw him into the wall pretty good as Heiskanen lost his footing. Physical game so far.
• Sam Steel made a great play to catch up with a huge rebound off Oettinger, then chipped a backhand pass through traffic to Oskar Bäck in space on the rush. Bäck chipped a shot off the post over the glove of Wedgewood.
• Oh my! Just as I said, ‘That’s a goal, for sure,’ Oettinger robbed MacKinnon all alone in the low slot. What a save. The puck even got stuck up his sleeve. Henrik Lundquist said he should start teaching that rebound control trick at his goalie school.

• Michael Bunting was called for embellishment, but Makar was also called for interference. If it’s a penalty, it shouldn’t be embellishment. If it’s embellishment, it shouldn’t be a penalty. It’s really not that difficult.

• A huge 20 minutes upcoming. Both teams, but especially Dallas, want to get this win in regulation.

Stars 1, Avalanche 1

Period 3

• Oettinger punched Brent Burns point shot out of the arena and into the lap of Golden Face.

• Bastian drops Josh Manson as he is falling to the ice. Manson took a number.
• Nils Lundkvist turned a puck over to the Colorado forecheck, but made up for it with a blocked shot to alleviate the pressure.
• Dallas is stuck on 10 shots with 10 minutes to go in the game.
• HUGE opportunity here for Dallas. The Stars killed off a dangerous looking Colorado power play, with Myers in the box for an iffy hooking call. Now they get their second PP, first since very early in the first, after Colorado is called for too many men. Dallas has not created a lot in this game. Time for their lethal PP to win them another game?
• No. It is not time. Johnston had a good chance, but not much going on the extra man chance.
• Esa Lindell saved a goal, like he usually does. The rebound was sitting there for a wide-open net chance for Nazem Kadri in the slot. Lindell cleared it away at the last second.
• Of course this game goes to overtime. These teams are separated by barely anything. All three games have gone past regulation this season. The other two were shootouts.

Stars 1, Avalanche 1

Overtime

• Harley hustled to back check and break up a clear 2-on-1 from the Colorado blue line.
• Robertson gets three good chances on Wedgewood. The buddies go at it again, but Wedgewood stops all three.
• That was not a boring overtime like others have been in the NHL this season. Fun action back and forth. But, of course, we are headed to another shootout.

Shootout

• For some reason, Robertson went back to the backhand deke move that Wedgewood has stopped multiple times this year. He made another incredible glove save.
• Johnston buried a wrister over the glove, and Oettinger stopped all three to give Dallas a huge two points from Denver. The Stars are now two points back in the Central.

Final: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (SO)