Robertson has goal and 3 assists, Stars beat Coyotes 5-2
Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski, right, smiles as he celebrates his goal against the Arizona Coyotes with defenseman Esa Lindell (23) and left wing Jason Robertson, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 31, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ross D. Franklin
TEMPE, Ariz. — Jason Robertson had a goal and three assists, with his goal breaking a tie with 22 seconds remaining in the second period in the Dallas Stars' 5-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night.
Robertson has 42 goals, tied with Washington's Alex Ovechkin for seventh in the NHL.
Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz and Jamie Benn also scored for Dallas, which swept the four-game season series while outscoring the Coyotes 19-6. Benn scored his 32nd on a power play five minutes into the third period for a 4-2 lead, and Max Domi scored into an open net with 1:01 remaining.
Dallas (41-20-14) moved a point behind Minnesota and two points ahead of Colorado for the Central Division lead. The Stars play the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche in Denver on Saturday. Colorado has a game in hand on both.
Jake Oettinger had 15 saves for the Stars.
Jusso Valimaki and Connor Mackey scored for Arizona and Karel Vejmelka had 26 saves. The Coyotes have lost six straight.
Pavelski scored his 23rd goal 1:23 into the game. Esa Lindell’s pass from the let circle caromed in off Pavelski as he was being checked in front of the net.
Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) celebrates his goal against the Arizona Coyotes with defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 31, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ross D. Franklin
Clayton Keller assisted on Valimaki’s goal to extend his points streak to 14 games, the longest since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg in 1996. Keller is tied with Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson for the longest active points streak in the NHL.
Valimaki scored on a power play five minutes into the first period and Mackey scored after a Dallas turnover late to give the Coyotes a 2-1 lead after the first period.
Hintz scored his 34th goal of the season 53 seconds into the second period, when he roofed a quick wrist shot from the right circle to tie it at 2-2.
KELLER MAKES HISTORY
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Mackey, middle, celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars with Travis Boyd (72) and Liam O'Brien (38) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 31, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ross D. Franklin
Keller finished March with 24 points, the most in a calendar month in Coyotes’ history. Teemu Selanne holds the franchise record with 27 points in a month, in January and March of 1993, when the franchise was located in Winnipeg.
NOTES: The Stars loaned G Scott Wedgewood to Texas of the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment Friday. Wedgewood, who has a 2.92 goals-against average in 18 games, was acquired from the Coyotes last March for a 2023 third-round draft pick. … Vejmelka played in his 100th NHL game. … Coyotes F Laurent Dauphin (upper body) missed his fourth straight game but is expected to return Saturday. … Coyotes D Victor Soderstrom received a double-minor high sticking penalty when he hit Hintz into the boads with 7:47 remaining. Hintz was prone on the ice several moments before skating off. He did not return.
UP NEXT
Stars: At Colorado on Saturday night.
Coyotes: Host San Jose on Saturday night. ———
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