Wyatt Johnston netted two goals to lead the Dallas Stars to a 5-3 triumph over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night at SAP Center. Lupe Hintz contributed one goal and one assist, while Justin Hrykowian and Jamie Benn each scored for Dallas, which improved its season record to 23-7-5 and went 3-2-0 in its last five games. Esa Lindell and Mikko Rantanen both added two assists, and goaltender Jake Oettinger stopped 34 shots to secure the win.
San Jose was led by Colin Graf, who scored twice, and Shaquille Muhammadulin, who added one goal. Macklin Celebrini contributed two assists for the Sharks, now holding a 17-15-3 record after their three-game winning streak ended. Alex Nedeljković made 25 saves in the defeat.
Dallas struck early, building a 2-0 lead. Hintz opened the scoring at 12:25, following a setup from Rantanen, and slipped the puck past Nedeljković. San Jose’s apparent tying goal by Zach Ostapchuk was overturned after video review showed he made contact with the puck above the crossbar. Johnston then extended Dallas’s lead to 2-0 with a wrist shot before the first period ended.
The Sharks pulled one back early in the second period through Muhammadulin, who shot past Oettinger’s pad after a deflection. Johnston restored Dallas’s two-goal lead on a power play with a precise shot over Nedeljković’s shoulder. Later, Graf narrowed the gap for San Jose with a rebound goal, but Dallas regained momentum when Oettinger capitalized on a San Jose mishap to assist Hrykowian’s goal late in the second period, making it 4-2.
Graf scored his second goal early in the third period to bring the Sharks within one, but the Stars held firm defensively. Benn sealed the victory with an empty-net goal late in the game, completing the 5-3 win on the road.
The Sharks continued their schedule with a game against the Seattle Kraken on Friday.
Fan Take: This game highlights the Dallas Stars’ resilience and balanced scoring, showing they are a serious contender this season. For hockey fans, it’s exciting to see rising stars like Wyatt Johnston stepping up, promising thrilling competition and a dynamic future for the sport.
