'The guys never gave up': Stars rally past Flames in OT

The Dallas Stars bent Wednesday night in Calgary, but they didn't break. The Stars shook off blowing a third-period lead and then rallied for a 4-3 overtime win over the Flames at Scotiabank Place.
Gavin Bayreuther scored the game-tying goal with 6:45 left in regulation and Tyler Seguin scored the game-winner 24 seconds into overtime as the Stars snapped a four-game skid on the road.
"This is the second time on this trip we've been up in the third and blown a lead, but the guys never gave up," said Bayreuther. "It was a lot of fun."

The Stars had a 2-1 lead going into the third period, but the Flames scored two quick goals to pull ahead 3-2. The Stars were able to tie the game when Calgary turned the puck over in their own end, and Bayreuther's shot from the slot deflected in the net off traffic.
In overtime, Flames goalie David Rittich turned the puck over behind the net to Stars captain Jamie Benn, and Benn set up Seguin, who shot wide of the net. Benn got to the rebound and again set up Seguin, who didn't miss the second time, beating Rittich with a wrist shot.
"Good pass from Jamie. Kind of a scramble play," said Seguin. "We're happy winning."

Seguin's game-winner was reviewed for possible goaltender interference since there was contact between Benn and Rittich just before the goal was scored, but the league said there was no issue.
"After reviewing all available replays and consulting with the referee, NHL hockey operations determined that the incidental contact between Benn and Rittich did not in itself impair the goaltender from playing his position," the league said.
The Stars, who had scored just four goals in their previous four road games, got goals from Jason Spezza, Benn, Bayreuther, and Seguin as they improved to 1-1-1 on their current road trip and 13-10-3 overall.
Anton Khudobin got the start in goal for the Stars and stopped 30 of 33 shots.
"Incredible," Seguin said of Khudobin. "He battled both last night (in 1-0 overtime loss at Edmonton) and tonight. He's a true competitor."
The Flames had a three-game home winning streak snapped and fell to 14-9-2 on the season.

"We had complete control," said Flames captain Mark Giordano. "We took the lead. We gave them the tying goal. We cost ourselves the point with a couple of bad plays."
The Stars jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 41 seconds into the game. Radek Faksa backhanded the puck from behind the goal line to Spezza, who scored from the slot. The Stars penalty kill then came up huge, stopping three Calgary power plays over an 8:15 span of the first period.
But the Flames were able to draw even when forward Garnet Hathaway blasted a shot from the right circle, and the puck slipped through Khudobin at the 16:39 mark to make it a 1-1 game.
The Stars got two chances on the power play in the second period. The first one was dismal and didn't generate anything. The second one, which came late in the period, delivered. Seguin sent a pass from the bottom of the right circle to the front of the net, where Benn tapped it past Flames goaltender David Rittich to put the Stars up 2-1 at the 18:02 mark. That was just the second time the Stars have scored on the power play in the last nine games.
The Flames scored twice in 70 seconds in the third to take a 3-2 lead. Johnny Gaudreau tallied on Calgary's fifth power play of the night, roofing a shot from the left circle to tie the game 2-2 at the 9:41 mark. Giordano put Calgary ahead at the 10:51 mark, scoring from the high slot to make it a 3-2 game.
But the Stars bounced back with Bayreuther's goal to tie with 6:45 remaining and then Seguin's game-winner 24 seconds into overtime.

Turning point

Stars coach Jim Montgomery broke up the top line of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov heading into this game but they were eventually put back together and came up big on Gavin Bayreuther's game-tying goal. The line had a strong forecheck, and Benn forced a turnover which led to a puck getting on net and a Calgary clearing attempt ended up on the stick of Bayreuther, whose shot from the slot tied the game and got it to overtime where Seguin won it.
"You have to give credit where credit is due," Bayreuther said. "The three forwards out there forechecked, there were many times where Calgary could have gotten the puck out of the zone, and they were very relentless. The puck squeaked to me right in the high slot, and I threw it on net. I don't know if it hit Rads or not, but it was a goal."

Three stars of the game

Gavin Bayreuther, Dallas:Game-tying goal, an assist in 20:32 of playing time for the Stars defenseman.
Tyler Seguin, Dallas: Game-winning goal and an assist on the power play for the Stars center.
Mark Giordano, Calgary: Flames captain tallied one goal and one assist while leading Calgary with 24:09 of ice time.

They said it

"It's obviously important, but it's a good feeling to get results for how we played. Last night (in Edmonton) we grind it out, and the Dallas Stars are in overtime in a 0-0 game. You didn't see that too much a few years ago. Tonight, we found a way to win a game. We have to do it again. We got to keep grinding it out on the road." - Stars center Tyler Seguin on Wednesday's win
"It was important to get the W. I thought our effort was great; our execution was poor. The way the guys dug in and kept battling was pretty impressive." - Stars coach Jim Montgomery
"They are saving our season. There is no other way to say it. (Joel) Hanley, Gavin (Bayreuther), (Taylor) Fedun, the minutes that Roman (Polak) is playing and the 19-year-old (Miro Heiskanen) is playing. They are all raising their level, and it's been inspiring to all of us, but they really are giving us an opportunity to save our season."- Montgomery on the defensemen stepping up with all the injuries on the blue line

Bishop could be ready Saturday

Stars goaltender Ben Bishop, who missed his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury, is inching closer to a return. Stars coach Jim Montgomery said Bishop, who is traveling with the team and skating, could be ready to play Saturday in Vancouver.
"Ben looks like he is a player for Saturday," Montgomery said before Wednesday's game.

Stat pack

What's next

The Stars close out their four-game road trip Saturday in Vancouver. This will be the first of three meetings with the Canucks, who are 1-7-2 in their last 10 games.

Stars lineup

Devin Shore - Tyler Seguin - Alexander Radulov
Jamie Benn - Roope Hintz - Jason Spezza
Valeri Nichushkin - Radek Faksa - Tyler Pitlick
Mattias Janmark - Jason Dickinson - Blake Comeau
Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Gavin Bayreuther - Roman Polak
Joel Hanley - Taylor Fedun
Anton Khudobin
Landon Bow
Scratched:Gemel Smith, Brett Ritchie, Julius Honka
Injured:Ben Bishop (lower body), John Klingberg (hand), Marc Methot (lower body), Connor Carrick (foot), Martin Hanzal (back), Stephen Johns (post-traumatic headaches)

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.