Stars defeat Blues in Game 2, even Western series

ST. LOUIS -- Roope Hintz had two goals and an assist, and the Dallas Stars defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2 in Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round at Enterprise Center on Saturday.

The Stars evened the best-of-7 series with Game 3 at Dallas on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN).
"I enjoy those games," Hintz said. "I think those are the most fun to play."
WATCH: [All Stars vs. Blues Game 2 highlights]
Ben Bishop made 32 saves for the Stars; he is 11-3 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs following a loss. He came into the game with a 1.60 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in those situations after losing Game 1 3-2.
"I do a pretty good job of not carrying the luggage with me," Bishop said. "I've been pulled, I've given up six (goals). It happens. That's the cool thing about playoffs. Every game is a new game and you don't carry on that from the last game. You can have good ones, you can have bad ones. There is obviously a bigger spotlight on the bad ones and everybody else wants to blow them up. But I've done a pretty good job of leaving them in the rearview mirror and getting ready for the next one."

Colton Parayko had a goal and assist, and Jordan Binnington made 31 saves for St. Louis, which allowed three goals and fell behind 3-1 in the first period.
"They took advantage of some opportunities they had there," said Jaden Schwartz, who scored his Blues-leading fifth goal in the playoffs. "Our puck play wasn't as good, wasn't as sharp as it usually is. They took advantage and executed on their opportunities. We did a good job climbing back, but that's a lapse we can't have."
Hintz gave the Stars a 1-0 lead at 7:11 of the first, and then there were three goals in a 1:12 span during a 4-on-4.
Miro Heiskanen made it 2-0 at 13:39 off an odd-man rush with Hintz.
"Yeah, I knew he's going to pass it," Heiskanen said. "I just drive to the net and it was great pass by Roope."

Parayko made it 2-1 at 14:25 with St. Louis' first goal in the playoffs by a defenseman. Mattias Janmark made it 3-1 at 14:51 off another odd-man rush with Jason Dickinson, who had two assists.
"We've got to make a better puck decision in the neutral zone and then back our defense up on the play," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "A few mistakes on that. ... We made a couple mistakes and they capitalized."
Schwartz made it 3-2 at 1:48 of the third period, redirecting Parayko's shot into the top of the net. No call was initially made, but officials conferred and ruled a goal. It was then upheld after the Stars challenged for goalie interference.

Dallas had to withstand a fifth Blues power play, including a 6-on-4 for 55 seconds.
Hintz scored into an empty net with three seconds remaining to make it 4-2.
"That was a big kill, obviously," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "I thought the two consecutive in the second was even more impressive. And I thought special teams, our power play was good too. We generated a lot of opportunities. Special teams was good and our goaltender was great."
Mats Zuccarello had two assists for Dallas.

They said it

"It's pretty crazy to think you were that kid up there in St. Louis, screaming [Ed] Belfour's name, and now you're on the ice and they're screaming your name. Never in a million years would I have thought that when I was watching playoff games as a kid that I would be in the net playing against the Blues. But it's pretty neat now. I'm not thinking too much about it, but obviously, it's pretty cool." -- Stars goalie Ben Bishop, a St. Louis native who started his NHL career with the Blues
"It's not going to be easy. These teams are here for a reason. Both are good and both can play. We're going on the road tied 1-1." -- Blues goalie Jordan Binnington

Need to know

Hintz leads rookies in the playoffs with seven points (four goals, three assists). ... Stars defenseman Esa Lindell led in ice time (30:13) and blocked shots (six). ... Blues center Ryan O'Reilly took 34 face-offs and lost 20, a season high. His previous season high was 18 against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 5.

What's next

Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round at American Airlines Center on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN)