Heika’s Take: Stars continue navigating wacky games in win over Red Wings

The Stars have a keen understanding of crazy games this year.

Whether it’s coming back from behind or holding on for dear life, Dallas has a calm demeanor that has served it well through 47 games.

On Tuesday, the lads in Victory Green had to play about three different styles of hockey to be able to hold on for a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.

“People got their money’s worth,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “It was like three games in one. I think every period was a different story. I obviously loved our second period and I liked our third until we took that penalty and then the momentum shifted. They had us on our heels there.”

The Stars played one of their best periods in recent years in the second, outshooting Detroit, 25-4, and scoring four goals to take a 5-2 lead. Mason Marchment capped a beautiful shift by the Matt Duchene line just 22 seconds in to tie the game at 2-2. Then Roope Hintz scored the first of his two goals sandwiched around a great shot from defenseman Esa Lindell to complete a relentless shift from the top line.

Hintz now has four goals and five assists in his past three games in Detroit and has helped the Stars on a 10-1-0 run against the Red Wings, including seven straight victories.

“There’s no reason,” he said. “It’s just been going pretty good and I hope it continues.”

He is enjoying his time on a new line with Wyatt Johnston, who replaced Joe Pavelski a few games ago. The line with Jason Robertson has 20 points in six games.

“He brings it every night,” Johnston said of Hintz. “You obviously see his shot, he can score from pretty much anywhere. But he plays well every night so it’s hard to say he’s better anywhere else.”

The top line helped push the shots advantage to 38-34. But the Duchene line with Marchment and Tyler Seguin was also key, and Sam Steel has been fantastic in his new role as center on a line with Jamie Benn and Pavelski.

“I thought Roope was great. I thought Wyatt Johnston was probably our best player. I thought he was outstanding, but that line was really good,” DeBoer said. “I thought the Duchene line came out first shift of the second period and really set the tone for us. End of a road trip that started in a really tough way in Philly. Grind it out, found a way to be 2-1-1 on the trip.”

And that is the bottom line. For all the craziness, the Stars found a way to slog through and pick up a huge two points. Dallas is now 28-13-6, good for 62 points and third place in a very tough Central Division. They have two home games before an extended mid-season break.

“I would say we shouldn’t have let it get that tight in the end, but of course they’re going to push back,” Lindell said. “They got the momentum, kind of similar to what we had in the second. But we got the win and that’s all that matters.”

After that dynamic second period, the Stars had a few hiccups in the third. Dallas took two more penalties and gave up another power play goal, as well as an extra man tally. That allowed Detroit to draw within one and put on a big push to tie the game. But the Stars and Jake Oettinger held on, and that was a big feather in the cap for a team who has fought through some hectic experiences.

“We’ve been in a lot of crazy games, so it definitely helps being in those situations,” said Johnston, who finished with three assists. “You don’t want to give them any life, but we’re comfortable when they’re coming.”

The penalty kill was a big part of the problem as it had its worst night of the season, allowing three goals on four opportunities. Lindell, Johnston and DeBoer all said there need to be improvements, but DeBoer was more philosophical on a unit that has been in the top three all season.

“It’s been excellent all year and you’re going to have a night like that. We’ve got a great penalty kill, we’ve relied on it all year. It’s nice to win a game when you give up three power play goals, because that doesn’t happen very often.”

And in a year when some pretty weird stuff is happening on a pretty regular basis, you can shrug off a few blemishes like this.

After all, they have games on Thursday and Saturday and then head into a lengthy All-Star Break. They could be getting Miro Heiskanen back from his injury absence, and they are trying to keep pace in a very tough divisional race.

“It was a good roadie and in not easy cities to play,” said Lindell. “We finished it really well and it’s nice to go home now.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.