Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

NHL

Rookie Mattias Janmark's sixth December goal helps Dallas Stars beat Nashville Predators 5-1

Associated Press
Published | Updated
  • 9df3c4a8-
    Image 1 of 3

    Dallas Stars center Mattias Janmark (13) is congratulated by teammate Jason Spezza following his score during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jim Cowsert) (The Associated Press)

  • b9fdf252-
    Image 2 of 3

    Dallas Stars center Mattias Janmark (13) watches his shot on goal slip by Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jim Cowsert) (The Associated Press)

  • 47c91335-
    Image 3 of 3

    Nashville Predators teammates congratulate center Craig Smith (15) following his score against the Dallas Stars during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jim Cowsert) (The Associated Press)

DALLAS – Rookie Mattias Janmark's sixth December goal broke a tie late in the second period and Tyler Seguin scored twice in the third period goals as the Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators 5-1 on Thursday night.

Jamie Benn and Patrick Eaves also scored for the Stars, who moved one point ahead of the East-leading Washington Capitals in the overall standings. Dallas and Washington, which lost on Thursday night, share the league-lead with 28 wins.

Only the Stars, who lost on Tuesday night at Columbus, and the Capitals haven't lost consecutive games this season.

Craig Smith scored his ninth goal of the season for the Predators in the second period, giving Nashville a lead that lasted about a minute and a half.

Janmark's goal, his ninth of the season, came at 17:28 of the second period. The play began with Jason Spezza beating Nashville's Mike Ribeiro to the puck near the Predators' blue line. Spezza skated in on the net and passed across to Janmark, who took the puck off his skate and shot over Pekka Rinne into the net's roof.

On Benn's goal, he skated in slowly to the right of Rinne with defenseman Ryan Ellis situated between Benn and the net. Ellis dropped to the ice to prevent Benn from passing to Seguin in front of the crease. Benn instead wristed a shot over Ellis and past Rinne's stick side at 12:53 of the second period.

Seguin's goals came at 8:03 and 15:56 of the final period.

Smith had given the Predators a 1-0 lead at 11:22 of the period with a backhander that beat Antti Niemi to his stick side.

Rinne, the NHL leader in goaltender minutes, hasn't won on the road since Nov. 5. He's 0-6-2 in away games since then.

The Predators had the best scoring opportunity of the scoreless first period in the final minutes, when Spezza lost control of the puck right in front of his own crease. Nashville's Filip Forsberg collected the loose puck and flipped a backhand shot at Niemi, who brushed it aside.

NOTES: Dallas has hosted a New Year's Eve game for 17 straight years. The franchise is 20-12-3 all time on New Year's Eve, including its previous 35 seasons in Minnesota. ... Shea Weber appeared in his 723rd career game for Nashville. That tied him with Martin Erat for second place behind David Legwand (956). ... Dallas extended a home shutout streak to 167:08 before Smith's goal. ... Nashville's Cody Hodgson was a healthy scratch for the third straight game.