GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Some choice words in the dressing room after a rough first period helped turned the tide for the Dallas Stars in what was one of their most gratifying wins of the season.
The Stars cranked up their physical play in the second period and fed off that energy, then broke out with four goals in the third. Roope Hintz scored the go-ahead goal late in Dallas' four-goal period, and the Stars rallied for a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday night.
Hintz’s team-leading 13th goal of the season made it 3-2 with 4:09 left to play, and Mattias Janmark sealed the Stars’ second straight win with an empty-netter with 1:36 remaining.
Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, Alexander Radulov also scored, and Anton Khudobin stopped 33 shots for the Stars.
“It was a character win,” Benn said. “We found a way to play 20 good minutes. We needed a kick in the butt and we found a way to come back and get two points."
Conor Garland had a goal and assist for Arizona, and Taylor Hall scored his first goal at home this season for his new team after being acquired from New Jersey on Dec 16.
The Coyotes have lost three straight in regulation for the first time this season.
“I like the effort,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “It's three plays, the difference in the third period. It's playoff hockey, you've got to suck it up. You've got to take hits and get up. Get up and get to the net, who cares.”
Hall stuffed in a bouncing puck that was knocked down by Garland after Hall delivered a hit on Dallas defenseman Jamie Oleksiak in the right corner to get the Coyotes on the scoreboard at 8:42 of the first.
Janmark left briefly after he took a hit from Hall and his left knee appeared to collide with Hall as Hall turned his hip. Janmark was helped off the ice and taken to the dressing room, where he sat out the final 3:52 of the period before returning in the second.
Garland made it 2-0 with a wrist shot high into the net from the side after Nick Schmaltz fed a loose puck to him with 1:58 to go in the openng period. Garland raised his team-leading goal total to 13 and Schmaltz got his 25th assist of the season, also a team high.
The Coyotes outshot the Stars 22-5 in the first period.
A scoreless second period saw more physical play, with Oleksiak originally given a five-minute penalty for a jarring shoulder-first hit on Arizona’s Derek Stepan. The play was reviewed and changed to a two-minute interference penalty, which drew boos from the crowd.
Stepan left the game and didn’t return with what was announced as an upper body injury.
The Stars got the better of the many hits delivered on both sides, led by Benn.
“Our whole group plays better when we're emotionally involved," Benn said. “As the game went on, we kept banging bodies out there and it paid off.”
Raanta came up with a save of Oleksiak’s breakaway shot as Oleksiak came out of the penalty box at 15:06 of the second. But Raanta — a night after giving up four goals on 16 shots and being pulled from the game at Vegas — couldn’t keep the lead in the third and finished with 21 saves.
The biggest thing out of this game is that we responded and we played to our expectations," Stars coach Rick Bowness said.
NOTES: Coyotes F Vinnie Hinostroza missed his first game of the season, designated a healthy scratch. ... Arizona D Jordan Oesterle was also scratched, missing his first game since Nov. 7. ... The two teams met for the first time this season and will play twice more. … The Stars have won 10 of the last 11 meetings and 15 of 19 with Arizona. ... Benn has six assists in his last four games against the Coyotes.
UP NEXT
Dallas: Hosts Nashville on New Year’s Day in the Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl.
Arizona: Hosts St. Louis on Wednesday night.
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