Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene (95) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Newark, N.J.
Roope Hintz scored twice in a three-goal second period and Scott Wedgewood made 29 saves against his former teammates to lead the Dallas Stars to a 6-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
Joe Pavelski, Matt Duchene, Craig Smith and Wyatt Johnston also scored as the Stars improved to 6-1-1 in their last eight games against New Jersey. Dallas also spoiled a night the Devils inducted three-time Stanley Cup winner and assistant coach Sergei Brylin into their Ring of Honor at the Prudential Center.
Wedgewood was outstanding in improving to 3-0 against his former teammates, although there was some concern early in the third period when a wicked slapshot by Michael McLeod hit him in the facemask and knocked it off. He gave up late goals to Jesper Bratt and Tyler Toffoli after the Stars built a 6-0 lead.
Nico Daws finished with 30 saves for the Devils, whose four-goal loss matched their worst of the season.
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Pavelski gave the Star the lead after being set up by Jamie Benn between the circles for a power-play goal at 5:42.
Hintz seemed to take the air out of New Jersey with a spectacular short-handed goal at 7:58 where he skated around rookie defenseman Simon Nemec and beat Daws with a nifty backhander in close.
Duchene put his 15th of the season into an open net after combining with Tyler Seguin in close at 16:31 and Hintz tallied his 20th into another virtually empty net with 18 seconds left in the period.
Dallas Stars
Smith and Johnston scored meaningless goals in the third period to send many of the Devils fans home early.
The best save of the night for the Stars might have been a combo effort by Wedgewood and Stars captain Benn. The goaltender made a partial save on a Timo Meier shot in close and Benn cleared the puck out of the crease after it got behind him.
New Jersey is now 9-11-2 at home and 1-8-1 in the second game of back-to-back contests.
UP NEXT:
Stars: Head to New York to face the Islanders on Sunday in Patrick Roy's first game as their new coach.
Devils: Play host to Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.
