Blackhawks cool off surging Stars behind Mrazek, Bedard

CHICAGO (AP) — Connor Bedard, Andreas Athanasiou and Seth Jones scored in the second period, and the Chicago Blackhawks stopped Dallas' franchise-record win streak at eight games with a 3-2 victory over the Stars on Saturday.

Petr Mrazek made 42 saves for last-place Chicago, which improved to 8-6-0 in its last 14 games. The 32-year-old Czech goalie was the big difference in his career-high 50th start.

“Petr was solid all night for us and obviously we have to credit him to keep us in that game and let ourselves find it,” coach Luke Richardson said.

Mrazek is nearing the end of a resurgent season, and he acknowledged being taxed by Dallas' attack.

“I needed that break between the second and third period,” Mrazek said. “I think they were coming hard.”

Roope Hintz scored his 29th goal for Dallas, which dropped to 13-3-0 in its last 16 contests. Jamie Benn scored with 4:23 left, giving the Stars eight 20-goal scorers for the first time.

Benn, the Stars captain, has nine goals and 12 points in his last nine games.

“When you’re on an eight-game winning streak, you hope that puck luck can continue a little bit," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. "We had some during the streak and tonight we didn’t have enough of it.

"Credit to them, they played hard. ... Mrazek was good."

At 48-20-9 and 105 points, the Stars are three points ahead of second-place Colorado. The Stars and Avalanche meet in Denver on Sunday in what DeBoer said was the team's “biggest game of the year" before Saturday's loss. Dallas and Colorado have five games remaining.

Bedard leads NHL rookies with 22 goals and 59 points in 62 games. Athanasiou’s goal was his first in 22 games this season after missing four months with a groin injury.

Jones, a defenseman, has eight goals on the season, but he has scored seven times in his last 14 games.

Scott Wedgewood blocked 14 shots for Dallas. Jake Oettinger, the Stars' No. 1 goalie, recorded shutouts in the team's previous two games.

The Stars held 32-year-old Tyler Seguin out of the lineup for maintenance. The forward, who has 23 goals and 50 points, is expected to play on Sunday.

Mavrik Bourque took Seguin’s lineup spot on Saturday for his NHL debut.

Chicago forward Colin Blackwell returned after missing six games with an upper-body injury. Forward Taylor Raddysh, who hasn’t scored in his last 41 games, was scratched.

The Stars dominated and outshot Chicago 14-6 in a scoreless first.

The Blackhawks grabbed the lead for good when Bedard and Athanasiou scored 65 seconds apart early in the second period.

Bedard picked up a power-play goal at 4:48. He closed from the right circle and beat Wedgwood on a rising shot as Nick Foligno and Dallas' Esa Lindell tangled at the edge of the crease.

Athanasiou made it 2-0 at 5:53. Lukas Reichel drove to the net against two defenders, and then dropped the puck to Athanasiou, who was racing down the left side of the slot.

Jones made it 3-0 from the left circle at 8:51 after taking Ryan Donato’s cross-ice pass.

Hintz cut it to 3-1 with 4:23 left in the second. He drove down the slot and tipped Miro Heiskanen’s pinpoint feed past Mrazek.

Mrazek robbed Hintz with a point-blank right pad save minutes later.

An apparent goal by Dallas' Mason Marchment at 8:53 of the third was disallowed for goaltender interference.

Benn tipped in Heiskanen’s high shot at the goalmouth to cut it to 3-2 in the third. The score withstood a video review.

The Blackhawks held on despite late pressure and a power play for Dallas.

“Petr stood on his head, as he has all season,” Jones said. “We played a lot of defensive zone, stuff around our net happening. But we found a way to block some shots and just get the puck out of the zone, in the neutral zone.”

UP NEXT

Stars: At Colorado on Sunday.

Blackhawks: Host Minnesota on Sunday.

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