Jamie Benn and Jason Robertson recorded a goal and an assist apiece for the host Dallas Stars, who unloaded on the short-handed San Jose Sharks 5-0 on Monday to earn their first victory of the season.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger faced just 13 shots but stopped them all for his 17th career shutout.
Moments before the opening faceoff, the Sharks announced Macklin Celebrini was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. The move happened after the 20-year-old center, who produced five assists as San Jose won its first two games, participated in pregame warmups.
Miro Heiskanen scored his second of the season for the Stars, who managed just one goal total in their first two games. Joel Kiviranta and Mikko Rantanen also scored, and Roope Hintz notched two assists.
Yaroslav Askarov made 21 saves as he and the Sharks saw their two-game winning streaks to start the season end.
Without having to face one of the league’s top playmakers and eager to get their offense going, the Stars dominated the first 20 minutes, amassing an 11-2 edge in shots on goal.
Still, it took Dallas nearly 19 minutes to finally break through, and it was Heiskanen who beat Askarov first. The defenseman banked the puck in off the netminder from behind the goal.
Kiviranta also banked one off the Sharks goalie with 16:43 remaining in the second. Benn’s goal three minutes later came off a pass from Robertson, who was stationed behind the net.
Robertson registered his first of the season with 3:30 remaining in the second. He knocked down a clearance at the blue line, then skated unabated to the high slot for the unassisted goal.
San Jose had chances in the middle frame, but Oettinger was up to the task. He collected a save when Tyler Toffoli’s point-blank shot in front of the net caromed to him.
Moments later, rookie Ivar Stenberg nearly scored his first on a power play midway through the period, but the Stars netminder stacked his glove and pad to prevent the milestone.
Rantanen finished the scoring with less than five minutes left, juggling the puck and spinning around a couple of Sharks to light the lamp.
