Heika's Take: An exclamation point on a milestone-making road trip

In a crazy overtime win against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, the Stars put an exclamation point on a rather historic road trip.
Dallas took its longest journey of the season for 12 days, starting in Buffalo, going to Seattle for two games and then trekking across Western Canada to Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. So, when Jason Robertson made a remarkable backhand shot with 12.3 seconds left in overtime, it was more than just an extra point in the standings.
It was the kind of game that can help forge a team into something special.

"There's different moments during a long season where you're a coach but you're also a hockey fan," said Stars coach Pete DeBoer after a jubilant post-game celebration. "You're a fan at that point. That's just an unbelievably skilled play and finish to win a game."
Robertson's two goals give him 41 on the season and he becomes the first player since the team moved to Dallas in 1993 to score 40 or more goals in consecutive seasons. Wyatt Johnston scored his 20th goal and now leads all rookies in goal scoring. Miro Heiskanen ran his point streak to 10 games, and that's the most by a Stars defenseman since the team moved to Dallas.
It was a crazy game to end a crazy trip. The Stars started the run with wins in Buffalo and Seattle (twice), but then sustained losses in Vancouver and Edmonton. That made Saturday's game a serious gut check. The standings are tightening up, and this team needed a vote of confidence. What's more, in their last visit to the Scotiabank Saddledome, Dallas lost a 3-2 Game 7 match in overtime. Mix into that the fact Calgary won two games in Dallas this season, 6-5 and 5-4, and you had a team who really didn't want to lose again.
All of that was crashing together when the Stars took a 2-0 lead, surrendered that to go down 5-4, then got a trying goal from Jani Hakanpää in the third period, and won in a frenetic extra period.
"I thought this one capped off a road trip that was super emotional," Robertson said. "It's a six-gamer, but there's a lot more to it."
Robertson said the first trip back to Calgary after the emotional Game 7 defeat was important, as was the struggles against the Flames and the possibility of a three-game losing streak.
"You could go as far back as being here in Game 7 in the playoffs," he said. "I know that was way more important than this one, but when you get those little victories, it's good for your morale. And definitely after we had two losses to this team in our barn, it feels good to get one in their building."
It was all swirling around the arena and it really could have crushed the Stars. The numbers say Calgary played the better game. The Flames had a 38-26 advantage in shots on goal and a 65-50 edge in shot attempts. The Stars were lucky in a sense, with Calgary hitting the posts four times and the Stars' second goal caused by a fortunate bounce off an official.
Even with all of that good luck, there was a chance Dallas was going to lose in regulation.
But with just under eight minutes left in the third period, Hakanpää found himself alone in the slot and fired a shot that bounced off Flames goalie Jacob Markström and also off defenseman Chris Tanev before settling into the net.
It was a huge play for Hakanpää, who accidentally knocked the stick out of the hands of Stars goalie Jake Oettinger on the Flames' fifth goal.
When asked what he was looking for, Hakanpää said just a clean shot.
"My biggest concern was that I got that puck settled down," he said. "It came bouncing in and I knew I had a little time, so I was just trying to get it nice and settled, and then I was trying to find a little daylight."
Hakanpää's goal was huge, because the team has needed depth scoring, which they also received with a goal from Radek Faksa too. Just as important, the top line was hot again after a cold night in Edmonton. Robertson (two goals, one assist), Joe Pavelski (one goal, two assists) and Roope Hintz (three assists) were back on their game. What's more, Johnston added his goal and linemate Jamie Benn had two assists. It was the kind of scoring the team has needed in the month of March.
Dallas has allowed 3.5 goals per game while going 7-3-0 in the month and a big key is having scored 4.8 goals per game in that same span.
Robertson's resurgence is also key, and his confidence was showing on Saturday. He had five shots on goal and nine shot attempts, and that's the kind of game he has played for much of the year en route to 88 points (41 goals, 47 assists) in 70 games (seventh in NHL scoring). On the game-winner, Robertson took a stretch pass from Joe Pavelski and headed toward the goal. He made a magnificent toe drag around defenseman Rasmus Andersson and then whipped a backhand shot past Markström.
"I was just trying to make something out of nothing," Robertson said. "I know Roope had beaten his guy, but I figured I had to shoot it."
"I think I surprised Andersson is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.*