Roope Hintz scored his first career hat trick on an empty netter in the closing minutes, and the Dallas Stars beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.
Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assists for the Stars, who were outshot 40-17 and have won six straight home games — the longest current winning streak in the NHL. Holtby, playing his 500th regular-season game, made 39 saves in recording his second straight win.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi ended Holtby’s shutout bid with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third period and Frederik Andersen stopped 13 shots for the Hurricanes, who are 1-3-1 in their last five games.
Dallas Stars right wing Alexander Radulov (47) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith (7) battle for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Dallas. (AP PhotoRichard W. Rodriguez)
Hintz has 10 goals in the last nine games and three game-winners in Dallas’ last six victories.
The line of Hintz, Pavelski and Jason Robertson has 12 goals and 11 assists in Dallas’ last five games, and Pavelski has multiple points in the last three games.
Hintz rushed into the offensive zone down the left side, shot a wrister from the left circle and lifted his own rebound top shelf 1:13 in for the game’s first goal.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Maxime Lajoie (42) defends as Dallas Stars left wing Roope Hintz (24) passes the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Dallas. (AP PhotoRichard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas doubled its lead with about 5 minutes left in the second period with Hintz and Pavelski on a two-on-one rush. Hintz hung onto the pass for a second and then lifted the puck over Andersen’s right shoulder.
Pavelski deflected a shot from Robertson at 9:31 of the third period for his seventh of the season.
Hintz’s empty-netter traveled all the way from just inside Dallas’ blue line with about 3 minutes left in the third.
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Steven Lorentz (78) and Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) battle for the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Dallas. (AP PhotoRichard W. Rodriguez)
The Hurricanes were missing defensemen Tony DeAngelo and Brett Pesce, who entered COVID-19 protocols on Monday. DeAngelo is fifth among defensemen in scoring with 19 points. Fellow defenseman Ethan Bear has been in the protocol since last week.
NOTES
Stars coach Rick Bowness coached in his 2,500th regular-season game as a head coach or an assistant, the most in NHL history. … Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was fined $250,000 by the NHL on Tuesday for his conduct during Sunday’s loss to Washington. The NHL gave no details, but the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, cited that Brind’Amour was livid at a third-period penalty called against Carolina.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (64) skates off as Dallas Stars left wing Roope Hintz (24) celebrates scoring a goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Dallas. (AP PhotoRichard W. Rodriguez)
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: Host Ottawa on Thursday.
Stars: Host Columbus on Thursday.
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports