Stars Take the Point and Lose the Shootout: Werenski Ties It With 3:14 Left and Columbus Wins 2-1
Dallas held a 1-0 lead deep into the third period in Columbus on Thursday night. Zach Werenski tied it with 3:14 remaining, and the Blue Jackets finished the rally in the shootout, 2-1 — Mikko Rantanen's third straight game with a goal and Casey DeSmith's 29 saves earning the Stars a point they will feel they should have doubled.
The Dallas Stars were 3:14 from a road shutout win on Thursday night. Mikko Rantanen had scored at 6:27 of the third period — his third straight game with a goal — to put Dallas up 1-0 in Columbus, and Casey DeSmith had turned away everything behind him. Then Zach Werenski skated in from the left face-off circle and put a backhander over DeSmith's left pad to tie it 1-1, his first goal of the season, and Nationwide Arena had its finish.
The shootout went Columbus's way. Valeri Nichushkin and Kent Johnston scored for the Blue Jackets, and Cam Talbot — 27 saves on the night — closed it out for a 2-1 final. Columbus (7-7-0) has won two straight. DeSmith finished with 29 saves for Dallas, which takes the standings point and the frustration with it.
The Stars are 9-5-2 and 2-2-1 in their past five, per NHL.com's recap, read this run. The road trip ends there: Dallas comes home to the American Airlines Center on Saturday night, when the San Jose Sharks visit for a 7 p.m. CT puck drop. The desk's game file follows Saturday's final.
