Lehner frustrated after Senators 6-3 loss to Stars in Spezza's return to Ottawa

OTTAWA - John Klingberg scored the winner as the Dallas Stars defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-3 Thursday night.

Jamie Benn struck twice for the Stars (22-19-7), while Colton Sceviour, Ales Hemsky and Trevor Daley had goals as well. Kari Lehtonen made 25 saves.

Mika Zibanejad, Bobby Ryan and Alex Chiasson scored for the Senators (19-19-9). Robin Lehner, making his first start since January 13th, stopped 33 shots.

Thursday's game marked Jason Spezza's return to Ottawa for the first time since being traded to the Stars in the off-season. While few knew how the former Senators captain would be received, the 18,752 on hand gave Spezza a standing ovation following a video tribute early in the first period.

The Stars took the 4-3 lead midway through the third period, as Klingberg took advantage of an Ottawa turnover to break in alone and beat Lehner with a wrist shot.

With just under a minute remaining in regulation, and Lehner on the bench, the Senators caught a huge break when Tyler Seguin took a hooking penalty, but a lost faceoff resulted in Daley wristing a puck all the way down into the empty net to seal the victory. Benn added a second empty-net goal to round out the scoring.

Trailing 3-2, Chiasson tied things up early in the third as he took a cross-ice pass from Kyle Turris and tapped it in as he drove to the net. It was Chiasson's first goal in 17 games.

After a rough start to the game the Senators had a much better second period, thanks to some solid goaltending from Lehner.

Lehner made huge saves on Spezza, two on Patrick Eaves and got a little help when Seguin rang a shot off the goalpost. The Senators were outshot 16-8 in the second.

Things did not start well for Ottawa as it trailed 3-0 by the 12-minute mark of the period, although two late goals salvaged what was an otherwise horrid start.

Trailing 3-0, Zibanejad got the Senators on the board as he retrieved his own rebound and jammed it in. With less than two minutes remaining Ryan, who now has 21 points in 20 games, was able to jump on a loose puck in the crease to bring the Senators within one.

Benn opened the scoring with a power-play goal as he was left wide open. Less than a minute later Sceviour made it 2-0 as he deflected a shot in front. Hemsky made it 3-0 on the Stars second power-play goal of the period as picked the top corner to beat Lehner glove side.

Notes: D Mark Borowiecki, D Patrick Wiercioch and C David Legwand were a healthy scratch. G Craig Anderson is day-to-day with a hand injury and C Zack Smith (wrist) remains sidelined for the Senators. Dallas LW Erik Cole remains day-to-day with a lower body injury. D Jordie Benn and RW Brett Ritchie were a healthy scratch.