3-1 Victory Over Blue Jackets Ends Stars Two-Game Losing Streak

Dallas Secures 3-1 Win Over Columbus as Late Period Goals Decide the Match

Timing is everything in professional hockey, and the Dallas Stars proved it twice on Saturday night. Defenseman Thomas Harley scored with just 0.2 seconds left in the first period, and Arttu Hyry sealed the game with an empty-netter with 0.3 seconds remaining, lifting the Stars to a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The win snaps a two-game losing streak for Dallas, bringing a definitive close to their season-long six-game homestand with a 4-2-0 record. For Columbus, the loss marks the end of a three-game road trip where they dropped the final two contests.

Special Teams and Defensive Pacing Shape the Matchup

Mikko Rantanen got the scoring started for Dallas early in the opening frame. Just 33 seconds into a power play at 2:16—awarded after a Columbus delay-of-game penalty on goaltender Jet Greaves—Rantanen tapped in a precise cross-crease, backhand pass from Wyatt Johnston for his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Game Day Guide: Blue Jackets vs Stars https://t.co/vbIZJg4bRR

— https://x.com/Hockey1Stars/status/2116629747874828375

The Stars’ penalty kill continued its dominant stretch, shutting down the game’s only Columbus power play. That single kill extended a flawless defensive run to 28 successful penalties dating back to October 13.

Columbus found an opening in the third period when defenseman Damon Severson scored at 6:21. That goal came roughly four minutes after Dallas successfully challenged an earlier Columbus goal by Valeri Nichushkin for offside, overturning what would have been an equalizer.

Harley later doubled the Dallas lead before the first intermission expired, whistling a sharp wrist shot from the left half wall into the narrow gap between Greaves’ right skate and the post for his first goal of the campaign. Miro Heiskanen contributed two assists on the night to help orchestrate the attack.

Goaltending Resilience and Lineup Adjustments

Jake Oettinger bounced back strongly for the Stars. Entering the matchup ranked fifth in the NHL with a 1.69 goals-against average, Oettinger stopped 25 of 26 shots to earn the victory after surrendering seven goals across his previous two appearances.

At the other end of the ice, Jet Greaves turned aside 14 shots for the Blue Jackets. Columbus shuffled their lineup by deploying 11 forwards and seven defensemen, a configuration that featured the season debut of defenseman Ivan Provorov, who had been sidelined on injured reserve since October 1.

The game also highlighted familiar faces on opposing benches. Two of the victories on Dallas’ homestand came against teams led by their previous coaches: Columbus’ Rick Bowness and Pete DeBoer of the New York Islanders.

Next Up on the Schedule

The two teams will meet again next Thursday in Columbus for their other inter-conference matchup. Before then, the Blue Jackets return home to host Colorado on Tuesday, while the Stars travel to Washington for a Tuesday night clash.