National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Dallas 6, Ottawa 3
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, January 29, 2015
Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
Referees: Mike Leggo, Jean Hebert
Linesmen: Lonnie Cameron, Kiel Murchison
Attendance: 18752

Stars 6, Senators 3: Defenseman John Klingberg snapped a tie midway through the third period as visiting Dallas avoided a disappointing loss in Jason Spezza's return to Ottawa after 11 seasons with the Senators.

Captain Jamie Benn - who finished with two goals - and blue-liner Trevor Daley scored short-handed empty-netters in the final minute while Colton Sceviour and former Senator Ales Hemsky also tallied as the Stars squandered a 3-0 lead before bouncing back to snap a two-game skid. Spezza was kept off the scoresheet in his first game in Canada's capital since being traded over the summer, but Daley notched two assists and Sceviour and Klingberg each added one while Kari Lehtonen made 25 saves.

All-Star Bobby Ryan recorded a goal and an assist while Mika Zibanejad and Alex Chiasson - who was acquired in the deal for Spezza - also scored for Ottawa, which suffered its seventh loss in 10 contests. Robin Lehner turned aside 35 shots as the Senators were swept of the two-game season series.

Dallas struck twice in 59 seconds to take a 2-0 lead as Klingberg got the puck down low to Benn, who beat Lehner from alone in front during a power play at 7:37 of the first period before Sceviour tipped Vernon Fiddler's shot from the right faceoff circle. Hemsky beat Lehner to the glove side with a rising blast from above the right circle while on the man advantage less than 3 1/2 minutes later to make it a three-goal cushion.

Zibanejad began Ottawa's comeback at 16:02 by backhanding his own rebound past Lehtonen from the left side of the crease and Ryan knocked in a loose puck during a power play with 90 seconds left in the session to cut the deficit to one. Kyle Turris made a backhand pass from the left circle to Chiasson, who converted from the right side of the crease 2:45 into the third to forge a tie, but Klingberg chased down a loose puck on the right wing and beat Lehner short side at 10:51 to put the Stars back in front.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Lehner received the start for Ottawa due to a hand injury to G Craig Anderson. Andrew Hammond was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League earlier in the day to serve at Lehner's backup. ... The Senators paid tribute to Spezza by showing a video montage on the scoreboard during a TV timeout in the first period. ... Ottawa D Chris Phillips played in his 1,177th game with the team, one behind Daniel Alfredsson for first place on the franchise list. ... Six-time Canadian Olympic medalist Clara Hughes was in attendance.

Top Game Performances
 
Dallas   Ottawa
Trevor Daley 3 Points Bobby Ryan 2
Jamie Benn 2 Goals Bobby Ryan 1
Trevor Daley 2 Assists Bobby Ryan 1
Jamie Benn 1 Power Play Goals Bobby Ryan 1
Jamie Benn 1 Short Handed Goals N/A
Kari Lehtonen .893 Save Percentage Robin Lehner .897
Kari Lehtonen 25 Saves Robin Lehner 35
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Dallas 41 6 2-3 4-5 12 39
Ottawa 28 3 1-5 1-3 8 27
Upcoming Games
  • Ottawa will play their next game at home against Arizona. The Senators have a W/L % of .300 after a win and .481 after a loss.
  • Dallas will play their next game on the road against Winnipeg. The Stars have a W/L % of .571 after a win and .370 after a loss.