Thomas Harley Leads Dallas Stars Past Sharks 4–3 With Three Power-Play Points

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

DALLAS, Texas — By the time Thomas Harley one-timed a shot past Alex Nedeljkovic in the second period, he’d already helped set up two Dallas power-play goals. His own gave the Stars a 4–2 lead. They needed every goal, and one more penalty kill in the third, to beat the San Jose Sharks 4–3 Saturday night at American Airlines Center.

Officials called 17 penalties, nine against Dallas and eight against San Jose. The Stars scored at four-on-three. The Sharks got two chances at five-on-three. And when the second period ended, four players picked up roughing minors in a scrum around the San Jose net.

“It was hard to get any rhythm for anybody,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said.

Benn gets to 999

Nedeljkovic gloved an early shot from Jamie Benn, and Michael Misa put San Jose ahead 7:22 into the first. Dallas tied it less than two minutes later, after offsetting minors to Mikko Rantanen and Mason Marchment and an interference call against Jacob Trouba gave the Stars a four-on-three.

Harley shot from the point, Wyatt Johnston tipped it, and Roope Hintz put away the rebound at 9:16 for his seventh goal of the season. Hintz set up the next one, too. He found Benn in the slot at 15:17, and Benn shot high for his third goal of the season and career point No. 999. He needs one more to join Mike Modano as the only players to reach 1,000 points with the franchise.

Jason Robertson made it 3–1 at 16:51, taking a pass from Rantanen and beating Nedeljkovic over the glove for Dallas’ second power-play goal of the period.

Then Dallas had to defend with three skaters. With Sam Steel and Lian Bichsel in the box, Jake Oettinger stopped two quick shots from in close during San Jose’s 36-second five-on-three. Arttu Hyry nearly scored shorthanded the other way, sending the puck into the outside of the net on a breakaway.

Harley gets the winner, Sharks get within one

San Jose found room through the Dallas defense early in the second. Ivar Stenberg finished a two-on-one at 2:47 to make it 3–2, and the Sharks stayed in the Dallas zone long enough to narrow the shot count to 15–14.

A too-many-men penalty put Dallas back on the power play. With Miro Heiskanen out, Harley gave the unit a defenseman willing to shoot from the point. Harley said he and Rantanen had talked about getting him lower in the zone. On the goal, Rantanen moved high, fed Johnston and cut through. Johnston got the puck to Harley for the one-timer at 14:30.

“I just kind of came over the top and tried to hit it hard,” Harley said.

It was his second career game with three power-play points. According to NHL Stats, he’s the eighth defenseman in franchise history to do it more than once.

The Sharks got their second five-on-three after Radek Faksa was called for hooking and Hyry for tripping. Fans chanted “Let’s go, Stars!” as San Jose worked the puck around. Marchment found Will Smith alone at the back post at 17:02, and Smith shot into the open side. Macklin Celebrini had his third assist, and Dallas’ lead was down to 4–3.

One last kill

Dallas got an early look in the third on an Esa Lindell one-timer that Nedeljkovic stopped. At the other end, Oettinger made a glove save as San Jose kept the puck in the Dallas zone.

Justin Hryckowian’s tripping penalty with 7:08 left gave the Sharks one more power play. Dallas killed it, then held off San Jose again with Nedeljkovic on the bench for an extra skater. Oettinger finished with 20 saves, and Dallas outshot San Jose 30–23 before an announced crowd of 18,532.

“We got a big kill at the right time,” Gulutzan said.

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky called it “one of our best 5-on-5 games of the year.” San Jose scored twice at even strength to Dallas’ one. The Stars scored three times on the power play and killed five of six San Jose chances.