National Hockey League
Dallas 6, Florida 5
When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, January 6, 2022
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Referees: Gord Dwyer, Dan O'Rourke
Linesmen: Ben O'Quinn, CJ Murray
Attendance: 17678

Joe Pavelski and Jason Robertson scored in the shootout as the host Dallas Stars defeated the Florida Panthers 6-5 on Thursday night.

Braden Holtby made 37 saves through overtime and stopped one shot in the shootout to earn the win.

Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau, who entered the game ranked fourth in the NHL in points, scored with 29 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.

Dallas' goals in regulation were scored by Michael Raffl, Denis Gurianov, Robertson, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn as the Stars erased three Panthers leads. Gurianov added two assists.

The Stars, who hadn't played since Dec. 20 due to a COVID-19 outbreak, got two primary assists from John Klingberg in winning their third straight game.

Florida was led by Aleksander Barkov (two goals and one assist) and Aaron Ekblad (two assists). The Panthers, who had their four-game win streak snapped, also got goals from Patric Hornqvist and MacKenzie Weegar.

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves through overtime but none in the shootout.

Panthers forward Joe Thornton played game No. 1,700 of his career, a feat accomplished by only five other NHL players.

Barkov opened the scoring with a power-play goal 8:28 into the game, but Raffl's deflection of a Klingberg shot beat Bobrovsky five-hole, leaving the first period tied 1-1.

The second period featured six goals, and it ended with another tie, 4-4.

Barkov started the party again, this time with a stutter-step move and a shorthanded goal.

On the power play, Dallas tied the score 2-2 as Benn's hard shot trickled past Bobrovsky, and Gurianov tapped it in for the goal.

Hornqvist put Florida up on a tip, but Dallas answered on Robertson's fluttering shot that deflected in off two Panthers defenders and the left post.

Dallas took its first lead of the game just 28 seconds later. After a Huberdeau turnover, Gurianov got the puck to Seguin, whose backhand moved opened up the left side of the net.

Weegar then tied the score, using a Hornqvist screen.

Benn -- capitalizing on a mistake by Bobrovsky -- put Dallas up 5-4 with 13:34 left in the third.

Bobrovsky came far out of his crease to play the puck at the right circle. Gurianov stole the puck from Bobrovsky and fed Benn in the slot for the easy goal.

Huberdeau then sent the game to overtime, where Bobrovsky robbed Klingberg at the buzzer.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Florida   Dallas
Aleksander Barkov 3 Points Denis Gurianov 3
Aleksander Barkov 2 Goals Denis Gurianov 1
Aaron Ekblad 3 Assists Denis Gurianov 2
Aleksander Barkov 1 Power Play Goals Denis Gurianov 1
Aleksander Barkov 1 Short Handed Goals N/A
Sergei Bobrovsky .861 Save Percentage Braden Holtby .881
Sergei Bobrovsky 31 Saves Braden Holtby 37
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Florida 42 5 1-3 2-3 6 31
Dallas 36 6 1-3 2-3 6 46
Upcoming Games
  • Dallas will play their next game at home against Pittsburgh. The Stars have a W/L % of .667 after a win and .400 after a loss.
  • Florida will play their next game on the road against Carolina. The Panthers have a W/L % of .727 after a win and .500 after a loss.