Casey DeSmith made 24 saves in his first start since Dec. 2, helping the Dallas Stars end a two-game skid with a 3-2 win against the Utah Hockey Club on Monday night in Salt Lake City.
DeSmith’s previous start also came at Utah, where he made 36 saves in a 2-1 win. Jake Oettinger started the next eight games, with DeSmith making one 18-minute relief appearance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Colin Blackwell, Roope Hintz and Jamie Benn scored for Dallas, which still hasn’t lost three regular-season games in a row in regulation in two-plus seasons under coach Peter DeBoer.
Kevin Stenlund and Barrett Hayton scored and Karel Vejmelka made 26 saves for Utah, which had its eight-game point streak (6-0-2) snapped.
The Stars took a 1-0 lead at 11:02 of the first period following a turnover in the neutral zone that sprung a two-on-one break. Blackwell had the option of passing to Sam Steel on his left but opted to shoot the puck and beat Vejmelka.
Utah tied the game at 1-1 at 12:41 of the first.
Michael Carcone dropped a pass for Ian Cole, who delivered a one-timer just as he crossed the blue line. Stenlund deflected the puck past DeSmith as he battled for position with Hintz.
The Stars moved ahead 2-1 at 12:39 of the second.
Mavrik Bourque and Hintz got behind the Utah defense on a dump-in, and Bourque passed the puck back to Hintz for a goal from in close.
The Stars made it 3-1 at 17:50 of the second after Wyatt Johnston took the puck behind the net and found Benn out front in the slot for a one-timer.
After ending a 21-game goal drought in a 5-4 shootout loss to the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, Hayton scored for the second consecutive game. He tipped in a wrist shot from above the left circle by Nick Schmaltz, cutting the hosts’ deficit to 3-2 at 11:39 of the third period.
–Field Level Media
