National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Dallas 4, Anaheim 2
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Referees: Steve Kozari, Dean Morton
Linesmen: Shane Heyer, Matt MacPherson
Attendance: 18962

Stars 4, Ducks 2: Vernon Fiddler recorded a goal and an assist as host Dallas overcame an early two-goal deficit to even its Western Conference first-round series at two games apiece.

Captain Jamie Benn, Cody Eakin and defenseman Alex Goligoski also scored for the Stars, who travel to Anaheim for a pivotal Game 5 on Friday. Shawn Horcoff notched a pair of assists and Kari Lehtonen registered one while turning aside 21 shots.

Blue-liner Bryan Allen and Patrick Maroon tallied as the Ducks played without healthy scratch Teemu Selanne and captain Ryan Getzlaf, who sat out with an upper-body injury. Frederik Andersen allowed four goals on 25 shots before being replaced by Jonas Hiller, who made one save.

Despite being without two potent offensive players, Anaheim carried a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Allen scored on a blast from the blue line 12:17 into the contest before Maroon was credited with his first career playoff goal when Mathieu Perreault's shot from the high slot deflected off him and past Lehtonen with 1:44 left in the first period.

Benn began Dallas' comeback 27 seconds into the middle session, pushing the puck forward on a faceoff just outside the blue line and beating Andersen from above the slot, and Fiddler scored from a sharp angle below the left faceoff circle during a 5-on-3 rush at 6:33 to tie it. Eakin put the Stars ahead 6:22 into the third, when he skated around a diving Rickard Rakell at the blue line and headed to the net before firing the puck inside the right post, and Goligoski beat Andersen stick side from the slot 82 seconds later to make it 4-2.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Selanne was replaced in the lineup by LW Emerson Etem, who recorded five shots in 12:32 of ice time, while Rakell filled in for Getzlaf and was minus-1 in 12:27 of action. ... Dallas' Mark Fistric played in place of fellow D Stephane Robidas, who fractured his leg in Game 3. Meanwhile, LW Erik Cole was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... Stars D Patrik Nemeth suffered an undisclosed injury late in the first period and missed the final two sessions.
Top Game Performances
 
Anaheim   Dallas
Bryan Allen 1 Points Vernon Fiddler 2
Bryan Allen 1 Goals Vernon Fiddler 1
Andrew Cogliano 1 Assists Shawn Horcoff 2
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jonas Hiller 1.000 Save Percentage Kari Lehtonen .913
Frederik Andersen 21 Saves Kari Lehtonen 21
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Anaheim 23 2 0-3 3-3 47 29
Dallas 26 4 0-3 3-3 35 38
Upcoming Games
  • Dallas will play their next game on the road against Anaheim. The Stars have a W/L % of .375 after a win and .585 after a loss.
  • Anaheim will play their next game at home against Dallas. The Ducks have a W/L % of .736 after a win and .517 after a loss.