Defenseman Miro Heiskanen recorded a goal and two assists. Jason Robertson added a goal and an assist as the Dallas Stars secured a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, clinching the Central Division title for the first time in eight years.
Craig Smith also found the net for the Stars, who are still vying for the top seed in the Western Conference and the President’s Trophy with one regular season game remaining.
Heiskanen sealed the game with a wrap-around goal at 7:37 left in the third period, marking his fourth game of at least three points this season.
“It’s great to win (the division), but we’re far from done,” Heiskanen said. “It’s just the first step.”
Stars coach Pete DeBoer echoed this sentiment, adding, “You definitely can’t minimize the work put into doing that … in a really good division.”
Dallas scored their other goals late in the periods: Smith netted one with 2.5 seconds left in the first period on a redirection, and Robertson scored with 35.9 seconds remaining in the second on a 5-on-3 power play.
Three Seattle shots struck the crossbar or a post, keeping the game closer.
Jake Oettinger made 26 saves for Dallas. Kailer Yamamoto spoiled Oettinger’s shutout bid late in the third period, scoring his first goal since Dec. 27. Philipp Grubauer stopped 28 shots for the Kraken, who began a season-ending four-game road trip.
“That goal at the end (of the first period) – great tip, nothing you can do about that,” said Yamamoto. “That gave them a little bit of life.”
The Stars swept the three-game season series against Seattle, including an overtime win. They also defeated the Kraken in seven games in the second round of last year’s playoffs.
Twenty-two seconds after Seattle’s Ryker Evans was penalized for hooking late in the second period, Brandon Tanev was called for goaltender interference. Robertson’s goal, which followed his first-period assist, gives him a team-high 80 points.
Oettinger lost his stick in the closing seconds of the Kraken’s second unsuccessful power play early in the second period, then made a glove save on Evans’ shot from just inside the blue line.
The Stars were awarded a penalty shot midway through the second period after a scrum in Seattle’s crease. Kraken defenseman Will Borgen pushed the puck away from the goal line with his left glove, and Jamie Oleksiak was ruled to have covered the puck in the crease. Sam Steel shot low on the penalty shot, and Grubauer closed his pads for the save.
Smith’s goal ended a streak of almost 113 scoreless minutes at home for the Stars. Four of Smith’s 11 goals this season have come in the Stars’ last eight home games.
UP NEXT
-
Kraken: Complete a road back-to-back at St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.
-
Stars: Finish the regular season on Wednesday at home, also against the Blues.
