DALLAS (AP) — Radek Faksa had his first two-goal game in more than three years, captain Jamie Benn added a power-play goal and the Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars beat the hapless Arizona Coyotes 4-0 on Saturday night.
Faksa scored both of his goals on rebounds in the first period, when the Stars went ahead 3-0, and rookie Wyatt Johnson scored his 12th goal in the second period. It was first multipoint game this season for Faksa, who had last scored two goals on Nov. 15, 2019.
Jake Oettinger had 33 saves in his fourth shutout this season. That included a sprawling stop midway through the second period, rejecting the puck with his fully extended right skate on Michael Carcone’s breakaway shot soon after Arizona failed to convert on two power-play attempts.
The Coyotes lost for the 10th time in 11 games. That stretch, in which the only win was in a shootout against Detroit on Tuesday night, began New Year’s Eve in a loss at Tampa Bay. It was their second consecutive shutout loss, and third this season — all this month.
It was the third 4-0 win in four games for the Stars (28-13-7), who won by that score against playoff contenders Vegas and Los Angeles during a three-game, four-night trip out West this week. Those shutouts sandwiched a 5-3 loss at struggling San Jose in which they blew a 3-0 lead.
Faksa opened the scoring when he knocked in the rebound of Denis Gurianov’s shot only 2 1/2 minutes into the game, and the Stars led 2-0 when Benn scored after getting the puck from Jason Robertson late in a power play. Faska’s second goal was his sixth of the season, and third in three games after none the previous 25 games.
NOTES: Arizona goalie Connor Ingram faced 39 shots. … Dallas played the first of eight consecutive home games, half of those coming in a seven-day span before getting the week off leading to the NHL All-Star game on Feb. 4. … Benn has points in five consecutive games (three goals, two assists). … Stars center Roope Hintz took part in the morning skate, but missed his seventh game in a row since sustaining an upper-body injury on Jan. 8. … The Coyotes trailed 2-0 before getting a shot on goal against Oettinger nearly 13 minutes into the game.
UP NEXT
Coyotes: Hosts Vegas on Sunday night.
Srtars: Hosts Buffalo on Monday night.
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