Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Niklas Kronwall provided the deciding marker 36 seconds into overtime as the Detroit Red Wings battled back from 4-2 and 6-4 deficits for a thrilling 7-6 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
Pavel Datsyuk tallied two goals -- including the game-tying score with 1:48 remaining -- and two assists, Jakub Kindl lit the lamp twice, Gustav Nyquist and Kronwall each had a goal and an assist and Justin Abdelkader also scored for the Red Wings.
Jimmy Howard made 26 saves in Detroit's second straight win after three straight losses.
Trevor Daley, Shawn Horcoff and Erik Cole all supplied a goal and an assist, with Cody Eakin, Jamie Benn and Curtis McKenzie adding markers. Kari Lehtonen allowed all seven goals on 36 shots for the Stars, who have dropped three of their last four games.
The Red Wings sent the game into overtime with a controversial goal. A scrum ensued in front and Datsyuk slipped a shot into the net after Justin Abdelkader knocked into Lehtonen.
In the extra session, Kronwall skated up to the left circle, cruised into the slot and shuffled a backhander under the arm of Lehtonen for the game winner.
Kindl, who returned from a 20-game absence due to an elbow injury, tied the game with two goals in the opening 1:41 of the third period.
He got the Wings within one on a slapshot from the high slot 56 seconds into the frame. Just 45 seconds later, Tomas Tatar embarked on a breakaway, but instead of shooting, he sent a slick no-look pass to Kindl, who blasted the puck into an open net for a 4-4 contest.
The Stars, however, reclaimed their two-goal lead. McKenzie ripped a shot from the blue line at 4:29 and Horcoff gave the Stars a 6-4 edge on a power- play goal from the right side of the net midway through the third.
Abdelkader was stationed in front of the net and deflected Kronwall's blast to get Detroit to 6-5 with 7:13 to play.
Benn opened the scoring for Dallas by tapping the puck past Howard in tight with 7:18 left in the first period. Nyquist, however, the tied the game on a snap shot from the slot just over four minutes later.
Datsyuk gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead after moving in from the right side and shooting the puck through Lehtonen's pads at the 9:20 mark of the second.
The Stars responded with three quick goals and took that lead to the second intermission.
Daley skated up the right side and wristed a shot past a falling Howard at 15:16 the middle stanza. Eakin snapped a shot past a screened Howard with 2:58 left in the second and Cole battled in front for a hard-earned goal that gave the Stars a 4-2 lead 1:14 later.
Game Notes
Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg left the game with an upper-body injury ... Jordie Benn and Ales Hemsky each had two assists for Dallas, while Tatar accomplished the same feat for Detroit ... The Red Wings also beat the Stars 5-2 on Dec. 4 at Joe Louis Arena.
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