Duchene extends goal streak to 4, Stars edge Mammoth

SALT LAKE CITY -- Matt Duchene extended his goal streak to four games, and the Dallas Stars defeated the Utah Mammoth 3-2 at Delta Center on Saturday.

“I think we're playing better hockey now, and I think those are three really solid games,” Duchene said. “There was some stuff there that we needed to fix, and I think our last two games were really, really solid. So I think we've just got to keep with those little things and keep going.”

Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley scored, and Jamie Benn had two assists for the Stars (32-14-9), who have won four in a row and five of six. Casey DeSmith made 12 saves for his first win since Jan. 7.

“We had to get back into our game and what we did better in the first half of the year than we've done since the new year,” Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said. “You can see, I'm sure, a visible difference if you're watching the games on how we're playing the last few. So, it's got to continue. We know that's got to be part of the fabric of our team and I think the players see it, we all see it, so it's got to carry on.”

Kailer Yamamoto scored twice for the second straight game, and JJ Peterka had two assists for the Mammoth (28-23-4), who have lost two straight and three of their past four games. Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves.

“I think Dallas played a hell of a game. Let's start with that,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “I think they arrived and they played a really good game, especially defensively. It was really tough for us to create any kind of offense, to have any space on the ice, to win races and stuff. They played really well, but it took too long for us to get in the game and to get to our game and to play with some kind of pace.”

Harley opened the scoring while on the power play at 2:11 of the first period. Mavrik Bourque sent a wrist shot on net that hit off the left post and Harley put the rebound in past Vejmelka's right pad from the slot.

Johnston extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 7:42 when he set up in front and redirected Mikko Rantanen's one-timer from the blue line. It was Johnston’s 18th power-play goal this season, tying Mike Modano for the most power-play goals in a season in team history.

“Yeah it's cool. I’m just trying to pitch in, however I can,” Johnston said. Power play, penalty kill, 5-on-5, kind of whatever that might be. So, yeah, it's cool, but, I’m just trying to help the team win games.”

Yamamoto cut the deficit to 2-1 at 10:23. Peterka rushed into the offensive zone down the left boards and fed a pass to Yamamoto, who sent a low wrist shot past DeSmith's right skate from the slot. Dallas challenged for goaltender interference, but the goal was upheld after video review. Peterka's assist was his 100th in the NHL.

“I think just getting back into the lineup, obviously, is a huge confidence (boost),” said Yamamoto, who has now played in the Mammoth’s past five games after being a healthy scratch in the previous four. “Playing with JJ and 'Hayts' [Barrett Hayton], they’re amazing players too. They make plays with the best of them. They are very easy to read off and stuff like that. They were both fine to me.”

Duchene pushed the lead to 3-1 at 16:37 with a snap shot from the high slot that caught a piece of Vejmelka's glove.

“I think a lot of the plays so far have been great plays by linemates and teammates,” Duchene said. “When it goes, it goes, and when it doesn't, it doesn't. It's just hockey. You want to make the peaks long and the valleys short. So, hopefully this is a long peak for me and keep it going through the break.”

Yamamoto brought Utah to within 3-2 at 6:41 of the third period when his shot from the right circle fluttered past DeSmith on the glove side.

The Mammoth were held to two shots on goal for the final 13 minutes.

“We just kept rolling, but the one thing we did do a very good job of and what we wanted to do better was we just controlled the neutral zone a little bit more,” Gulutzan said. “That was our biggest adjustment going in, we knew we had to be good in the neutral zone. And during the third, I thought we played really solid.”

NOTES: Benn assisted on a game-winning goal for the 100th time, the second-most instances in Stars/North Stars history behind Mike Modano (137). ... Peterka (293 games) became the 10th German in NHL history to record 100 NHL assists. Among that group, the only players to reach the mark prior to their 300th game are Team Germany teammates: Tim Stutzle (203 games), Moritz Seider (213 games) and Leon Draisaitl (216 games), as well as Jochen Hecht (295 games). ... Yamamoto became the third Mammoth player to score multiple goals in consecutive games. He joined Logan Cooley (two games from Oct. 23-25, 2025) and Dylan Guenther (two games from Oct. 8-10, 2024). ... Guenther returned to the lineup after missing two games with a lower-body injury. ... Vejmelka played his 100th game with Utah.