Benn's power-play goal, Oettinger's 25 saves lead Stars past Golden Knights 2-1

DALLAS (AP) — Jamie Benn scored the go-ahead goal on a power play in the second period and Jake Oettinger stopped 25 of 26 shots as the Dallas Stars beat the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Oskar Back also scored for the Stars, who extended their points streak to 13 games (12-0-1).

Jack Eichel scored for the Golden Knights, who have lost three consecutive games and six of their last seven. Adin Hill made 14 saves.

Benn, the Stars’ 36-year-old captain, has goals in three of the last four games and 10 points in the last eight.

Oettinger, whose 26 wins are good for third in the league, is 9-0-1 in his last 10 starts.

Benn batted the puck in from the edge of the crease with 5:44 left in the second period to break a 1-1 tie and give Dallas’ second-ranked power play a goal in 10 consecutive games.

Back, a fourth-liner, tied the score midway through the second period, crashing the net to put in a rebound and end a 14-game goal drought.

Eichel beat Oettinger stick side 1:31 into the second period after a Stars turnover at the blue line for the game’s opening score.

Eichel has six goals in his last seven games against Dallas and a team-high 72 points this season.

The Stars are 27-0-3 this season when leading after two periods.

Dallas’ Matt Duchene assisted on Benn’s goal, giving him 19 points in the last 13 games.

Golden Knights: Begin a four-game homestand on Thursday against Pittsburgh.

Stars: Host Edmonton on Thursday in the fourth game of a season-long six-game homestand.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

A Dallas Stars fan shows off his Lucha Libre wrestling mask as he arrives for an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights in Dallas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) recovers from taking a hi-stick to the face from Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (62) in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates with the team after scoring in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) reaches to glove a shot as Miro Heiskanen (4) helps against pressure from Vegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Stars' Jamie Benn (14), Jason Robertson (21) and Wyatt Johnston (53) celebrate with the team after Benn scored in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights in Dallas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

MONTREAL (AP) — Oliver Kapanen scored his 20th of the season as the Montreal Canadiens held on for a 3-1 win and handed the Toronto Maple Leafs their eighth consecutive loss Tuesday night.

Phillip Danault also scored, and Jake Evans added an empty-net goal for Montreal. Jakub Dobes made 17 saves.

William Nylander scored for struggling Toronto, which is on track to miss the playoffs after nine consecutive trips to the postseason.

Joseph Woll stopped 30 shots in a solid outing.

The Maple Leafs entered the night 11 points outside the playoffs and 13 behind the Canadiens, who held the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Besides two shifts on the power play, Cole Caufield sat at the end of the Canadiens’ bench from late in the second period through the end of the game. Montreal’s leading goal scorer appeared to be in some discomfort, with trainers occasionally checking in. The Canadiens said after the game that Caufield was sick.

Toronto captain Auston Matthews — a former 69-goal scorer — extended his goalless streak to 12 games.

Maple Leafs: Host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

Canadiens: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) loses his mask as Montreal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher (11) looks for the rebound defended by Maple Leafs' Jake McCabe (22) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Phillip Danault (24) scores on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) during first period NHL hockey action in Montreal on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher and Toronto Maple Leafs' Jake McCabe (22) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Jake Evans (71) gets past Toronto Maple Leafs' Easton Cowan (53) for an empty net goal during third period NHL hockey action in Montreal on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)