On Monday night, the Dallas Stars edged out the Winnipeg Jets in an overtime thriller, winning 4-3 and extending their winning streak to five games—their longest of the season. The decisive goal was scored by Thomas Hurley just 2:05 into overtime, shortly after Jake Oettinger made a crucial save on Mark Scheifele’s breakaway, showcasing the intense rivalry between two of the top U.S. goalkeepers ahead of the Milan-Cortina Olympics break. Both Oettinger and Connor Hellebuyck each made 24 saves, highlighting their strong performances for their respective teams.
During regulation, Mikko Rantanen put Dallas in front 3-2 with a slick move through two defenders with 7:43 remaining, only for Logan Stanley to even the score for Winnipeg with a late goal on a 6-on-5 advantage with 1:43 to go. Jason Robertson netted his 31st goal of the season—his 199th career strike—while Nils Lundqvist’s goal secured the Stars’ 18th one-goal victory, tying them with the New York Islanders for the most in the league. Winnipeg’s offensive effort was led by Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti, each collecting a goal and an assist, with Scheifele providing two assists. Though Matt Duchesne’s streak of scoring in four straight games ended, he and Miro Heiskanen contributed two assists apiece. Duchesne’s pass set up Hurley for the winning goal, with Hellebuyck being beaten backhanded over the pad.
Earlier in the game, Robertson opened the scoring for Winnipeg, giving them a 2-1 lead early in the second period, which Vilardi expanded with his 21st point of the season. Perfetti’s goal at 3:58 into the second buried Winnipeg’s power-play struggles, ending a five-game goal drought on the power play. Later, Nils Lundqvist’s rebound goal momentarily brought the Stars close, but Dallas ultimately pulled away in the final moments.
Both teams are set to play their last home games before the Olympic break—Winnipeg faces Montreal, and St. Louis visits Dallas on Wednesday night, closing out their regular-season matchups before a three-week hiatus.
Fan Take: This game was a thrilling display of skill and resilience, reminding fans how competitive and unpredictable NHL matchups can be. With such tight contests and standout performances, this rivalry highlights why hockey continues to captivate fans and what makes the league exciting ahead of the Olympic pause.
