Stars slam Sharks, regain sole division lead

Field Level Media|published: Wed 27th March, 01:24 2024

Mar 26, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) shoots and scores against San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. credits: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Wyatt Johnston had two goals and assist and the visiting Dallas Stars retook sole possession of first place in the Central Division with a 6-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Jason Robertson also scored two goals, Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists, Mason Marchment scored and Scott Wedgewood made 19 saves for Dallas (45-19-9, 99 points), which won its fifth game in a row.

The Stars moved two points ahead of the Avalanche for the top spot in the Central after the Montreal Canadiens ended Colorado's nine-game winning streak with a 2-1 win earlier Tuesday.

William Eklund had a goal and an assist, Alexander Barabanov and Klim Kostin also scored, Mikael Granlund added two assists and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 35 shots for the Sharks (16-47-8, 40 points), who have lost eight in a row (0-7-1).

Johnston scored on a short-handed breakaway to give Dallas a 1-0 lead at 12:06 of the first period.

Benn recorded an assist on the goal to extend his point streak to seven games.

Marchment made a move to get around a defender in the neutral zone and another above the right circle before scoring his 20th goal of the season for a 2-0 lead at 16:28 of the first period.

He became the seventh Dallas player with at least 20 goals this season, a team record.

Both teams scored three goals each in the second period.

Robertson tallied 14 seconds into the period to extend the lead to 3-0, but Barabanov answered 40 seconds later off a feed from Eklund behind the net.

The Sharks were on a power play when Eklund scored on a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle off a feed from Thomas Bordeleau to cut it to 3-2 at 2:00.

Johnston made a pass from behind the net that was deflected into the air and Benn batted it into the net with a backhand to re-establish the two-goal lead at 8:05. Kostin scored 53 seconds later with a wrist shot from the left circle off a drop pass from Granlund to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Johnston got behind the defense and Benn fed him for a breakaway that made it 5-3 lead at 10:13.

At 11:44 of the third period, Robertson added another power-play goal to make it 6-3.

—Field Level Media

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