Cirelli scores in final minute to help Lightning edge Stars

DALLAS -- Anthony Cirelli scored with 44 seconds remaining to help the Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Dallas Stars 3-1 at American Airlines Center on Saturday.

Victor Hedman skated around the back of the net and shot the puck to the slot, where it deflected off the stick of Cirelli to give the Lightning a 2-1 lead.
"That goal was a combination of what happened probably in the last seven minutes of the period," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "I think our guys, they really dug in. That's a really, really good hockey team over there. Our goalie kept us in it to that point, and then the big boys kind of took over after that. We just kind of leaned on them, leaned on them, leaned on them. We had so many close chances to score there."

Hedman's assist on the play was his 500th in the NHL.
"I am happy it came in a big game like this, late in the game. Those are the moments you live for, and it was a great feeling," Hedman said. "To do it for this club over the last 14 years is great, and a lot of credit goes to the guys that put the pucks in the net."
Cirelli had two goals and an assist, and Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (34-16-2). Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves.
"I think [Vasilevskiy]'s the best in the League, next to my boy 'Jakey' (Oettinger)," said Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who played for the Lightning's AHL affiliate during the 2019-20 season. "I've played with him, I've been on his team. I saw what he did for the Cup runs there to be a part of it. He's a workhorse. He just takes up a lot of the net and knows what works for him. He's a good dude, I like him a lot. It's fun to battle, but obviously I want to be on the other side of it."
Jamie Benn scored, and Wedgewood made 28 saves for the Stars (30-14-10).
Cirelli scored to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 10:13 in the second period. Hagel made a pass past defenseman Esa Lindell to spring Cirelli for a breakaway.
"It's easy playing with [Hagel] and [Alex Killorn], or it's [Steven Stamkos], or whatever it may be," Cirelli said. "Everyone's always in the right spot, they work so hard, they're good skaters, and good at making plays. When you get guys like that, it's easy to play. We've found a little chemistry the last couple games, so it's been going well."
Benn tied it 1-1 at 12:18 on a 3-on-1 rush.
"We were right there to at least get a point," Stars forward Luke Glendening said. "I thought [Wedgewood] was outstanding, and I thought for most of the game we played really well. It's a tough way to go."

Hagel scored an empty-net goal with one second remaining for the 3-1 final.
"They pushed in the third, that's what a real good team like that does," Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said. "I thought our execution the last five minutes was poor. It's a good learning lesson for our group, against teams like that you can't sit in a shell. You can't stand around because they'll expose you."
NOTES:Hedman (947 games) became the 33rd defenseman in NHL history to get 500 assists. … Benn became the 75th player in NHL history to score 350 goals for one franchise. He is second to Mike Modano (557) in Stars/Minnesota North Stars history.