Stars bash Lightning behind seven different goal scorers

Field Level Media|published: Sat 2nd December, 16:58 2023

Dec 2, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski (16) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at American Airlines Center. credits: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas' top three lines scored goals inside the first eight minutes as the Stars whipped the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning in an 8-1 rout Saturday afternoon.

Jason Robertson hit the net twice, and Joe Pavelski had a marker and two assists. Mason Marchment, Jamie Benn and Thomas Harley totaled a goal and an assist apiece. Tyler Seguin and Sam Steel also scored, while Jani Hakanpaa and Roope Hintz each posted two helpers.

Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 32 saves and won for just the second time in his past five starts (2-2-1).

In matching its season-high in goals, Dallas moved to 7-2-2 in its past 11 contests.

Victor Hedman recorded a power-play goal for Tampa Bay. Netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 19 of 25 shots and lost for the third time in four outings since his return from back surgery. Jonas Johansson allowed two goals on nine shots in the final period.

Pavelski and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov (assist) stretched their point streaks to nine games.

In the first of two meetings over three days, Dallas overwhelmed the Lightning with a three-goal, first-period onslaught.

After winning a faceoff in the right circle in the offensive end, Seguin skated through the slot and batted in a waist-high rebound off Marchment's shot just 61 seconds in for his eighth goal.

Robertson scored on a bad angle shot that rattled in off Vasilevskiy at 6:28. And just over a minute later, Benn got behind the Lightning defense on a breakaway and tallied his fifth for a 3-0 advantage.

That prompted a timeout from Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who ripped into his team for the poor defensive effort.

Tampa Bay then cut it to 3-1 after a double-minor high-sticking infraction on Miro Heiskanen.

Playing in his 999th game, Hedman pounded home his fifth tally on the front end of the consecutive power plays.

Marchment made it 4-1 in the second when he whipped in his seventh marker at 3.42.

Battling out front late in the last seconds of the Stars' first power play, Pavelski redirected his team-leading 11th goal off a shot by Harley. Robertson's second goal (eighth overall) pushed it to 6-1.

Harley and Steel rounded out the scoring in the final frame.

—Field Level Media

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