Heika’s Take: Seguin’s return sparks Stars to powerful win over Coyotes

Call Tyler Seguin “The Rock.”

He got dropped into the Stars lineup on Wednesday and the ripples were everywhere.

Seguin had been out since February 24 and missed 11 games with a lower body injury. During that span, his linemates Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment struggled to produce. In addition, the Stars had some hot and cold moments on other lines, as the coaches tried to adjust.

But with Seguin back in his spot on the right wing, all four lines scored for Dallas in a 5-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.

“Chemistry is something you can’t quantify,” said Duchene, who had a pretty assist on Seguin’s goal. “You can work on it always, but when it’s there, it’s there. He’s a hell of a player, so you take him out of the lineup and take him off the line and there’s definitely a hole.”

The trio was creating scoring chances all over the ice, and while they scored just one time, they definitely brought an energy to the game. In fact, it was clear from the start of the second period that Dallas was in control of the game. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist, Nils Lundkvist had two assists, and 11 other players had a point. It was a great sign of what the Stars can do when they are healthy and clicking.

“This game was set up from a scheduling point of view for us to have good legs and good execution just from the days off and the ability to practice,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said of having three days between games. “And I think that’s what you saw.”

Arizona scored near the end of the first period to take a 1-0 lead, but then Dallas came out and scored five straight times, including three in a span of 4:50. Logan Stankoven was able to score at the net off a Lundkvist shot to make it 1-1. Then, four minutes later, Lundkvist hit Jamie Benn driving to the net for his 13th goal of the season, and Seguin scored a minute later off a beautiful pass from Duchene.

Duchene found himself racing up ice on a two-on-one with the puck on his strong side. He easily could have tried to score himself, but instead made a nice fake, then threw a behind the back pass to a wide open Seguin for his 21st goal of the season.

“It was a really unselfish play, which is the best part of that play,” DeBoer said. “As dynamic as the play is, he was basically in on a breakaway himself and made that play in order to get Tyler Seguin a goal.”

Duchene said he knew there was a chance the play might happen that way, but it was organic.

“I knew where Seggy was right when I got the puck, and I was hoping he was going to keep his depth – I had that in my mind when I got the puck,” Duchene said. “I kind of knew where he was the whole time, so I kind of tried to fake a shot and get it to him.”

Seguin said he had an idea Duchene might make that play, but that you never know when the trio is on the ice together.

“I think with all of us on the line, we never have a full idea, but I think that’s what’s good about us,” Seguin said. “We just try to put ourselves in the right positions. Dutchy is obviously a great goal scorer, but probably an even better playmaker, so it works.”

Robertson made it 4-1 with a nice deflection early in the third period, and Craig Smith followed with his third goal in three games to make it 5-1. In a lot of ways, the game was the perfect example of what the Stars can be. With Seguin clicking on the Duchene line, and the top line of Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski - one of the top lines in the league for the past three seasons - there’s a lot there to like. But now with Stankoven and Wyatt Johnston playing well on a line with Benn, and the fourth line scoring on a nightly basis, this has become a team that’s very hard to check.

“The strength of our team all year has been the fact that we can roll four lines,” Duchene said. “I think we got a goal from every line tonight. That’s our strength, and that’s what’s going to make us good in the playoffs if we play to the level that we need to play at. I love when every line is involved. That’s what you want. You want to be a well-rounded team.”

Lundkvist got a great opportunity because Jani Hakanpää missed the game with a lower body injury. The 23-year-old defenseman, who has been a healthy scratch in 12 of the past 15 games, jumped in and made a strong statement. He left the game after getting cut in the face, but there’s a good chance he will be ready to play in Friday’s game against the Penguins.

“I thought Nils did a really good job,” DeBoer said. “I thought all of our defense did a good job. They did a good job of getting the puck to the net. That’s something this year that we’ve tried to preach – not to complicate the game back there; get the puck to the net and get some action around the net.”

Jake Oettinger stopped 23 of 25 shots to push his record to 26-13-4.

All in all, it was a great game to keep pace with Colorado and Winnipeg, who also keep winning in the Central Division.

“We’re going to finish where we finish, but it’s important that the details of our game are in place,” DeBoer said.

As far as Seguin was concerned, Wednesday was like a playoff game.

“Those are all playoff habits that you need,” Seguin said. “I think a mistake is thinking you can just flip a switch. You need to have these habits down the stretch going into the playoffs.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.