Dickinson scores in overtime to lift Stars past Capitals

WASHINGTON --Jason Dickinson scored with 1:43 remaining in overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

After intercepting a pass from Washington defenseman John Carlson, Dickinson beat goaltender Braden Holtby with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that deflected in off Carlson for his third goal of the season.
"I was trying to shoot blocker side and I was just thinking if I can get this puck through Carlson's stick and get it on net, then I've got a chance at least to either beat the goalie, Holtby, or get a rebound and hopefully get to bang that in," Dickinson said.
WATCH: [All Stars vs. Capitals highlights]
Jason Spezza had a goal and an assist, and Ben Bishop made 29 saves for the Stars (8-5-0), who won their third straight game to improve to 3-1-0 on their six-game road trip and 5-1-0 in their past six games.
"There's a lot of belief right now and the emotion and the camaraderie on the bench, it's getting better and better," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "Hopefully, we can maintain that."

Jamie Benn and Tyler Pitlick scored for the Stars, which improved 11-1-3 in their past 15 games against the Capitals and 23-2-6 against them since the start of the 1996-97 season. Dallas is 7-1-0 in its past eight games at Washington.
Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and an assist, and Brett Connolly and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored for the Capitals (5-4-3). Holtby, who stopped Tyler Seguin on a penalty shot 59 seconds into overtime, made 32 saves.
The Capitals, who began a five-game homestand, have yet to win consecutive games this season and have one victory in their past four games (1-2-1).
"We've been turning a lot of pucks over lately and sometimes you've got to chip it in the corner and go get it, take the body, keep it a little more simple and when the play is there, you make it," Connolly said. "We're a little off on that right now, but we'll find it. We're too good of a team not to."

The Stars took a 2-0 lead on goals 10 seconds apart from Spezza and Pitlick in the first period. Spezza beat Holtby between the pads on a breakaway at 10:51. Pitlick made it 2-0 at 11:01 by circling out to the left to beat Holtby to the short side after intercepting his pass behind the net.
"Our start was great tonight," Spezza said. "That kind of set us up knowing that once we get off to a good start, then you know you can play with them and you know you can win the game. I think the start was really important tonight."

Backstrom pulled the Capitals within 2-1 with a shot high to the short side from the bottom of the left circle 38 seconds into the second period. Benn gave Dallas a 3-1 lead at 10:36 of the second, converting a centering feed from Spezza.
Connolly got the Capitals within 3-2 by batting in his own rebound at 12:31 of the second. Kuznetsov's power-play goal 7:57 into the third period tied the game at 3-3.
The Stars viewed the game against the Capitals as a significant test.
"That's the defending champs and in their building," Spezza said. "I thought that showed a lot of character. I thought we deserved the win and I thought we got it. I thought it was a top to bottom lineup game where everybody contributed. It's a great win for us."

They said it

"We'll take it. They're not always going to be Picassos. Sometimes you're going to have to grind. … This one we had to find a way to come back and get that one in overtime. Finding different ways to win, that's the big thing. It doesn't matter how, just as long as you get it." -- Stars goaltender Ben Bishop
"We got ourselves back and I thought we gave ourselves a much better chance in the third. I thought we're tilting the ice in our favor. You go to a 3-on-3 (overtime) and Braden makes a save on an elite player, but we've got to find a way to get two points in those situations." -- Capitals coach Todd Reirden

Need to know

Stars 19-year-old rookie defenseman Miro Heiskanen led all players with a season-high 27:10 of ice time. … Kuznetsov has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past eight games. … Connolly's goal was his eighth 5-on-5 point of the season (two goals, six assists), most on the Capitals.

What's next

Stars: At the Boston Bruins on Monday (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, NESN, FS-SW, NHL.TV)
Capitals: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Monday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, SNW, NHL.TV)