Red Wings lose out in overtime to Stars 2-1

Joe Pavelski #16, Denis Gurianov #34 and the Dallas Stars celebrate a goal against the Detroit Red Wings at the American Airlines Center on January 26, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)

A lack of movement and pressure on the ice resulted in another Detroit Red Wings loss at the American Airlines Arena Tuesday. A turnover in overtime gave the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win. It gave them their third win in a row and Detroit their third straight defeat. 

A new week can only be good after an ugly finish Detroit had against the Chicago Blackhawks. After a four-game slide on their end, they outscored the Red Wings 10-3 and were 1-12 on the power play indicating a serious issue. They made their way to the Lone Star state to face Dallas, who got a late start to their season. With the Stars only two games in, the Red Wings needed to be the dictators while there and get the man advantage going. 

Though it took the Stars some time to get their first recorded shot on goal, they had leverage early on Detroit. By the time eight minutes had passed, the Stars earned some time on the power play, with Bobby Ryan being called for too many men. Just when it looked like Dallas would gain the opening lead, the Red Wings PK did work to stop them in the offensive zone. After just one minute back on even strength, a move from Givani Smith got the puck moving around the back of the Stars net. 

Taro Hirose got it out front where Dallas miscued on leaving goaltender Anton Khudobin open. With no one there for defensive cover, Vladislav Namestnikov came in to backhand one through the five hole, scoring is first of the season. It was their first shot on goal that led to more as the period had six minutes left. Dallas hunted down their moment to tie the game before the first ended, but good man-to-man coverage and defense around Thomas Griess kept them scoreless. 

A big collision into the Detroit net handed the Red Wings a second power play. Two offsides called took a lot of time from the man advantage that Detroit didn’t make use of. When the first was said and done, each team shot six times with Detroit being best on the faceoff. 

In the second, Detroit spent the rest of their time with the extra man before they returned to even strength. The next few minutes saw the Red Wings and Stars fighting for possession until a slashing penalty to Filip Hronek gave Dallas a power play. Off the faceoff in the Detroit zone, Dallas got the puck to the back near the blue line where John Klingberg drove it straight through traffic scoring his first to even things up. 

The Stars got another power-play but Detroit knew they couldn’t give up another one. Despite saving another, they couldn’t get the offense in place to make a difference. It once again led Dallas to another man advantage. The Red Wings PK stopped a third and a minute later caught a break. Detroit’s second chance to increase the score didn’t work as their offense struggled to maintain possession and prevent giveaways. Dallas took every opportunity to get the puck and fire on Griess who felt the pressure. By the time the second period was over, they outshot Detroit 11-6 while producing a low number of scoring chances. 

The third period saw both teams struggle to make a jump with their offense and strike out the leading goal. Through ten minutes of play, Detroit and Dallas recorded a total of five shots on goal with no clear winner in sight. Detroit caught three more shots that had them ahead, right before they tried to make three a charm on the power play. The Red Wings took a few shots with one having a second try at the net but Khudobin and the Dallas PK cleared the puck out, getting back to even strength with two minutes left. 

The Stars didn’t get their shot at ending things in regulation with the Red Wings determined to go into overtime to settle the affair. Detroit opened 3 on 3 showing plenty of patience as they tried to get their best line into action. After two switches, Dallas got their chance and pressured quickly. Once again, they had the last laugh with Klingberg setting up the drive that went off Jason Dickinson to end their night 92 seconds into it.