MONTREAL — Jason Robertson scored the shootout winner to lift the surging Dallas Stars past the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 for their seventh consecutive victory on Saturday night.
Robertson scored the only goal of the shootout while goalie Jake Oettinger stopped Patrik Laine, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
Oettinger made 30 saves and Jamie Benn scored in regulation for Dallas (27-13-1). The Stars snapped Montreal’s three-game winning streak.
Sam Montembeault made 34 saves for Montreal (20-18-4), which lost for only the third time in 12 games. The Canadiens earned a 3-2 overtime win over the Capitals in Washington on Friday night.
Laine returned to the lineup and buried his ninth goal of the season after missing four games due to illness. Veteran defenceman David Savard (upper-body) also drew back in from a four-game absence.
TAKEAWAYS
Canadiens: Montembeault stood tall in net all night, thwarting Robertson with a glove save in overtime. Playing on a back-to-back, Montreal gave up 16 shots in the first period a night after holding Washington to 17 in regulation and overtime. The Canadiens, however, mostly limited quality chances from the Stars.
Stars: Dallas lived up to its stingy reputation in a tight-checking game. The Stars entered with the second-fewest goals-against per game (2.50) and stopped the Canadiens from seriously challenging Oettinger on Saturday.
KEY MOMENT
After Laine blasted a one-timer past Oettinger during a 5-on-3 power play late in the second, Benn responded with 2:25 left in the period, picking the top-left corner on an odd-man rush to quickly even the score at one.
KEY STAT
All nine of Laine’s goals have come on the power play from his “office” by the left circle. He joined Canadiens great Yvan Cournoyer as the only players to score each of their first nine goals in a season on the power play.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Open a two-game road trip against the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday.
Stars: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 11, 2025.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press