In Newark, N.J., Jason Robertson netted his 17th goal of the season as the Dallas Stars shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Wednesday night. Jake Oettinger was outstanding in goal, stopping all 31 shots he faced. Robertson scored on a quick give-and-go play, while three Finnish players contributed to the Stars’ offensive success. Roope Hintz assisted Miro Heiskanen’s opening goal, and Mikko Rantanen scored the final goal on a rebound.
Oettinger is expected to be among three American goalies heading to Milan for the Olympics and secured his first career win against the Devils, the last NHL team he had yet to beat. He made key saves in the first period against Luke Glendening and Juho Rämö. Dawson Mercer scored twice for the Devils, with Connor Brown converting a quality chance in the second period for New Jersey.
Ether Lindell and captain Jamie Benn each tallied two assists. The Stars have successfully killed 19 consecutive penalties in their last six games and hold a perfect 12-0-0 record when leading after two periods. Dallas played without Tyler Seguin, their second-longest tenured player, who suffered a torn ACL against the Rangers and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
New Jersey allowed three goals on 27 shots by Jacob Markstrom, marking their third straight loss and sixth in nine games. Star player Jack Hughes missed the entire game and will be sidelined for at least another month after surgery for a finger injury unrelated to hockey.
Next up, the Stars return home to face San Jose on Friday, while the Devils host Las Vegas on the same night.
Fan Take: This game highlights the rising depth and resilience of the Dallas Stars, particularly with strong contributions from their Finnish players and emerging goalie Jake Oettinger. For hockey fans, this signals a shifting power dynamic and exciting new talents to watch as the season progresses, potentially changing the landscape of the league.
