Hintz Scores Overtime Winner for Stars
Miro Heiskanen’s 29-minute shift ended with a pass that led to a 3-2 victory over Winnipeg.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
The Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in overtime at American Airlines Center on Thursday. The final play of the game centered on a defensive recovery that turned into a breakaway goal.
Jason Robertson blocked a Winnipeg scoring chance in the extra period. Miro Heiskanen immediately sent Roope Hintz away on the ensuing play. Hintz finished the breakaway at 3:47 of overtime to secure the win.
Heiskanen did not score in the game. His performance relied on heavy workload and positioning. With Esa Lindell scratched from the lineup, Heiskanen played 29 minutes and 20 seconds. Thomas Harley logged 28 minutes and 27 seconds. The next Dallas defender on the list was Lian Bichsel at 17 minutes and 47 seconds.
The team leaned heavily on its top two defensemen. Nils Lundkvist, Tyler Myers, and Kyle Capobianco also played on the back end. The team was not dominant in front of the net. Winnipeg’s Connor Johnston opened the scoring early in the second period. Gabriel Vilardi and Kyle Connor added goals to put the Jets ahead.
The Stars trailed until the late stages of regulation. Hintz scored a six-on-five power play goal with two minutes left in the third period. That goal tied the game at 2-2. The shot count favored Dallas heavily. The Stars outshot Winnipeg 38-19. Winnipeg goaltender Connor Skinner made 35 saves to keep the game close.
Heiskanen finished with five shots, one block, and the game-winning assist. Harley did not record a goal. The long shifts raised questions about the team’s defensive depth for upcoming games. Lindell’s absence was a factor for this specific contest. The team has not announced a return date for him.
The result stood as a 3-2 victory for Dallas. The Stars won despite trailing for much of the game. The win came from a single breakaway finish after a defensive stop.
