DALLAS (AP) - Tyler Seguin completed his first Gordie Howe hat trick - a goal, an assist and a fight - with an unaccustomed round against former teammate Patrik Nemeth in the third period.
Seguin and Jamie Benn each had a goal and an assist in the second period, and the Dallas Stars held off the surprising Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Saturday night.
It was Seguin’s fight that had his teammates talking. After all, even with the 5-minute major, he still has only 149 penalty minutes in his eight seasons.
“I know on our bench, we were fired up to see (Seguin) do that,” Devin Shore said. “It gave us a boost. The kind of culture we’re trying to build is people who care for each other and go through the wall for each other.”
Stars coach Ken Hitchcock was impressed by the total game of top-line center Seguin, which included killing penalties.
“This is what a 1 has to do,” Hitchcock said. “The big thing for me was he did all of those things, but he did it against the other team’s best players. He was a plus player in the game, he stood up and fought, he did everything we wanted him to do.”
Seguin himself was surprised by the reference to Hall of Famer Howe.
“That’s a first,” Seguin said. “Might hashtag it tonight. Probably never happen again.”
He assisted on the first goal of the game, by Benn 24 seconds into the second period. Then Seguin scored on the power play a second before the period ended. He took a cross-ice pass from Shore, who had two assists.
“When (Shore) was coming to me I was trying to get it off as quick as I could,” Seguin said. “Heck of a pass, especially when he knows it’s about to end.”
The goal, the only one out of five power plays, gave Dallas a 2-0 lead entering the third period.
“The one they scored was when we had it stopped but we couldn’t clear the puck off the boards, and Seguin one-timed it in,” said Colorado coach Jared Bednar.
Ben Bishop made 21 saves and allowed only a third-period goal by Matt Duchene. Bishop has been in goal for both Dallas victories this season.
Esa Lindell added an empty-net goal with 39 seconds remaining.
Colorado, last in the Central Division last season, entered the game atop the division standings after five games.
“We’re happy with the start, but we’re not satisfied,” Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon said. “We’re still 4-2. We’re not going to think we’re terrible after tonight’s loss.”
Seguin and Benn each played 1:51 on the Dallas unit that killed all four Avalanche power plays.
Semyon Varlamov made 33 saves for the Avalanche.
The Stars had 36 shots on goal to Colorado’s 22. Dallas has not been outshot in any of the first five games.
Colorado’s best scoring chance in the second came with 7 ½ minutes left, but Bishop saved a short-range shot by J.T. Compher following a Dallas giveaway.
NOTES: Benn’s goal was only the fourth for Dallas while skating 5-on-5 this season, and the third Colorado had allowed with both teams at full strength. … The Stars have scored one power-play goal in each game, including all three of Seguin’s goals this season. … Avalanche C Tyson Jost missed his second game because of a bone bruise on his left knee. … Stars D Dan Hamhuis returned after sitting out two games with a groin injury. . One of the loudest cheers came when the video board showed Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in attendance during his bye week and wearing a personalized No. 4 Stars sweater.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: Complete a two-game trip on Tuesday at St. Louis.
Stars: Stay at home to play Arizona on Tuesday.
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