Heika’s Take: Stars pick up point against Red Wings, enter Christmas break on high note

The Stars have been consistent in some pretty crucial areas this season, so it’s noticeable when one of them slips.

Dallas was 16-0-0 when leading after two periods heading into Tuesday’s game at Detroit. However, it let two separate leads slip away and lost in overtime, 4-3, to the Red Wings.

“We obviously don’t like giving up a third-period lead,” said captain Jamie Benn. “We got a point, so we’ll take it and get some rest over these next couple of days and be ready to go.”

It’s the best philosophy for a team that is 25-7-6 (second-best in the NHL) and heading into its first three-day break of the season as the league shuts down three days for Christmas. The lads in Victory Green just finished a stretch of 16 games in 29 days with trips to Edmonton, Seattle, New York, New Jersey, Winnipeg, Minnesota, San Jose, Anaheim and Detroit. They went 12-2-2 during that crucible.

So coach Glen Gulutzan was actually pretty pleased with his team on Tuesday. They started slow, played maybe their best second period of the season, and then took a couple of unfortunate penalties in the third. They also went toe-to-toe with a 22-13-3 Detroit team that made some excellent plays.

“I thought, all in all, it was a great hockey game,” Gulutzan said. “It was fast, had a little bit of everything, great goaltending, specialty teams, power play goals, it was physical. I actually liked the way we played, so I’m not going to judge our team on losing a point or winning a point.”

There were moments of great pride, as Dallas was exceptional in the middle period. The Stars outshot Detroit 13-5 and got goals from Roope Hintz on the power play and Benn on a beautiful transition play with help from Matt Duchene and Justin Hryckowian to take a 2-1 lead.

Hryckowian made a bad decision early in the third as he retaliated on what could have been a dangerous hit, and that put the Red Wings on the power play. Detroit cashed in to tie the game.

Dallas used its own power play later to take a 3-2 lead. Wyatt Johnston scored his 20th goal of the season (and league-leading 14th on the power play) and Mikko Rantanen added his 21st power play assist, good for second in the NHL. But as it was with Hryckowian, Rantanen then took an ill-advised penalty and Detroit scored on that one as well.

As good as the Stars were, the Red Wings capitalized on their mistakes.

“I know it’s a learning experience for him,” Gulutzan said of Hryckowian. “Even late on the power play with Rants, we get a little overzealous with trying to run some slight interference. Those things are all learning things.”

Detroit tied the game with four minutes left in the third on a Dylan Larkin goal, and then Larkin won the game in overtime. It was a tough break with the Stars dads in the stands on the annual dads trip, but it also was a positive experience.

“I thought tonight was a great hockey game,” Gulutzan said. “They deserved a point, we deserved a point.”

Now the team gets to rest for the Christmas break, playing just two games over the next eight days to end the year. As for his first year returning to Dallas as a head coach, Gulutzan said he likes the start so far.

“Our record is where it is,” he said. “Going into Christmas Break, I think we’ve done a pretty good job.”

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 X @MikeHeika.