Benn breaks scoreless tie early in 2nd, Stars top Wild 4-1

Updated Feb. 8, 2023 11:19 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) — Captain Jamie Benn broke a scoreless tie 23 seconds into the second period of his 1,001st career game, and the Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Benn's 20th goal on a perfect feed from 19-year-old rookie Wyatt Johnston started a three-goal second for the Western Conference-leading Stars.

Radek Faksa's one-timer on a precision 2-on-1 pass from Tyler Seguin came five minutes later, and Jani Hakanpaa tipped in a shot from Roope Hintz midway through the period.

Joel Eriksson Ek scored on a power play to get Minnesota within 3-1 late in the second period, and the Wild had Ryan Hartman's goal just 30 seconds later called off for goalie interference against Jordan Greenway.

Hintz added an empty-netter for his 22nd of the season with 2:11 remaining, and Jake Oettinger made 38 saves for Dallas. Jason Robertson had two assists.

The Stars' second consecutive victory stopped a four-game run of games going to extra time, which Dallas finished with a 1-0-3 record in a quartet of games decided by 3-2 scores. Three overtime losses started the strange stretch, followed by a shootout victory in Benn's 1,000th game.

They were all part of Dallas' season-high eight-game homestand. The Stars, who last played on the road Jan. 19, have two games left on the homestand.

Faska had a chance for a second goal when Greenway was called for hooking on a breakaway with six minutes remaining, but Filip Gustavsson easily stopped the penalty shot. Gustavsson had 33 saves.

After a scoreless first period in which Minnesota had several strong scoring chances early, Johnston waited with the puck at the blue line as Benn skated in. Johnston hit Benn in stride, and the 33-year-old faked Gustavsson on the goalie's left side and beat him on the right.

Faksa had the simple task of redirecting the puck into an open net on the pass from Seguin, as did Minnesota's Ek on a feed from All-Star Kirill Kaprizov after Miro Heiskanen was called for cross-checking Kaprizov.

UP NEXT

Wild: Host Vegas on Thursday to finish a back-to-back and start their second seven-game homestand of the season.

Stars: At Tampa Bay on Saturday for the second of two meetings. The Lightning won 5-4 in overtime at home in November.

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