ST. LOUIS (AP) - Style points don’t matter to the Dallas Stars’ Roope Hintz. Results do.
Hintz scored the game-winner at 2:19 of overtime and finished with two goals, leading the Stars to a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
Hintz flipped in a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle for the winner and his 17th goal of the season. Miro Heiskanen dropped the puck to Hintz and his shot beat St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington through the legs.
“I couldn’t even see where it went, but it went in so it’s good,” Hintz said. ““I just tried to get in on the net. I was really tired.”
Jamie Benn also scored for Dallas, which improved to 10-5 in overtime.
Anton Khudobin made 23 saves. He faced St. Louis for the first time this season and improved to 3-0-1 against the Blues.
Colton Parayko scored two first-period goals for the Blues. It was the third multi-goal game in Parayko’s career and first since Dec. 14, 2018, at Colorado.
Binnington had 31 saves and St. Louis fell to 7-9 in overtime.
“I don’t think he liked that last goal,” St. Louis coach Craig Berube said of Binnington. “I thought he was good tonight. For the most part, he played a solid game.”
Dallas played without interim coach Rick Bowness, who missed the game due to illness. Assistant coach John Stevens directed the club.
“I think the guys rallied around Bones (Bowness). I think they have an enormous amount of respect for him and how much he cares and how much passion he has,” Stevens said. “I think they really dug in. Especially for him. It was a tough situation, but the group deserves a lot of credit. It’s a tough turnaround back-to-back against a very good hockey team and they dug in and found a way to win. It’s a big two points going home.”
Dallas lost Friday at home to Minnesota. The Stars blew a two-goal lead and allowed the game-winning goal with 27 seconds left.
“That really stung. I think it was really important that our group bounced back and got points on the board,” Stevens said.
The Blues are 2-5-2 in their last nine games but still lead the Central Division. Colorado is in second place, five points back of the Blues while Dallas is in third place trailing St. Louis by six points.
“Sometimes you don’t get things going your way,” St. Louis captain Alex Pietrangelo said. “Sometimes, the hockey gods test you. We’re getting opportunities and chances. We’ve just got to put them in. We’ve got to get some wins here. Teams are trying to catch us.”
The Blues fell to 2-1 against the Stars this season and are 6-4-0 over the last 10 meetings (including the postseason).
Parayko scored a power-play goal at 7:18 of the first , giving St. Louis an early lead. Vince Dunn fed Parayko, who sent a slap shot from the left faceoff circle over the shoulder of Khudobin.
The Blues made it 2-0 when Parakyo scored on a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle at 10:49. It was Parayko’s fourth goal in his last three games.
Dallas cashed in on its second power-play opportunity, when Benn redirected a shot by Mattias Janmark at 17:48, cutting the deficit to 2-1. It was Benn’s first goal in six games and his 15th of the season.
’They’re a great team. Stanley Cup champs,” Benn said. “We have good games against them. Good battles. We’re a tight-knit group and once again adversity did not phase us today.”
Hintz scored on a wrist shot from the top of the slot at 13:25, tying the game at 2-all in the second period.
“We got a point,” Berube said. “They play a heavy game.”
NOTES: St. Louis Blues announced before the game they will retire Hall of Famer Chris Pronger’s No. 44 jersey next season. Pronger, a five-time all-star, will be the eighth Blue in franchise history to have his number retired. He will join Al MacInnis (No. 2), Bob Gassoff (No. 3), Bob Plager (No. 5), Barclay Plager (No. 8), Brian Sutter (No. 11), Brett Hull (No. 16) and Bernie Federko (No. 24). Pronger, wearing his jersey, and his wife and three children were brought onto the ice for a ceremonial puck drop. … Stars’ RW Alexander Radulov (upper body injury) missed the game Saturday. He got hurt in the second period Friday in a home loss to Minnesota. Radulov collided with teammate Denis Gurianov and did not return. … Blues D Alex Pietrangelo played in his 744th career game, moving into a tie with Brett Hull for fifth on the Blues’ all-time list. … Stars LW Benn played in his 800th NHL game.
UP NEXT
Stars: Host Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Blues: Play Tuesday at Anaheim Ducks.
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