The Dallas Stars secured a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, wrapping up a four-game road trip with a 3-0-1 record. Dallas demonstrated discipline and defensive poise despite fatigue, improving to 15-5-4 overall and 9-1-3 on the road. Key contributions came from Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell and Vladislav Kolyachonok, who scored the game-winning goal.
The Stars' win highlighted their ability to adapt to different game styles, following an 8-3 offensive outburst against Edmonton the previous night. Facing a stingy Kraken team, Dallas emphasized patience and penalty killing, as noted by coach Glen Gulutzan.
Key Moments
In the first period, after killing a double-minor penalty to Alexander Petrovic, Roope Hintz redirected a shot from Petrovic to give Dallas a 1-0 lead. Seattle tied the game later in the frame. Esa Lindell restored the advantage 2-1 in the second period, scoring off his own rebound after battles along the boards, assisted by Tyler Seguin. Lindell, paired with Miro Heiskanen, has been more active offensively this season.
Seattle equalized early in the third, taking a 28-21 shot advantage and 52-38 in attempts. However, Seguin set up Vladislav Kolyachonok for his first goal as a Star, putting Dallas ahead 3-2. The Stars then killed a late power play to seal the win. Lindell played over 28 minutes, including 7:56 shorthanded, earning praise from Gulutzan as a 'monster' on the penalty kill.
"All in all, it was a great road trip," Seguin said, who finished with two assists and a plus-3 rating. "The boys were on fumes at the end, but we found a way to win." Gulutzan credited organizational depth on defense, with Kolyachonok and others stepping up amid injuries. "It’s an organizational depth win on defense," he said. Kolyachonok called the team 'special.'
The victory underscores Dallas's versatility, playing the game as it unfolds without panicking.