Stars start strong, send Sharks to fifth straight loss

Thomas Harley scored the eventual game-winner and added two assists as the host Dallas Stars held on for a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.

Roope Hintz recorded a goal and an assist, while Jamie Benn and Jason Robertson also scored for the Stars, who went 3-for-5 on the power play. Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen each had two assists, and Jake Oettinger made 20 saves.

Johnston (one goal, seven assists) and Rantanen (three goals, four assists) each extended their point streaks to five games.

Will Smith had a goal and an assist, while Michael Misa and Ivar Stenberg also scored for the Sharks, who lost their fifth consecutive game and seventh in their last eight. Captain Macklin Celebrini recorded three assists, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 26 saves.

San Jose was playing the second game of a back-to-back after losing 4-1 to the host Minnesota Wild on Friday night.

Dallas led 3-1 after the first period, despite Misa's goal at 7:22 giving San Jose an early lead. He tapped in a pass from Celebrini.

Hintz tied the game 1:54 later with a power-play goal, converting Wyatt Johnston's bump pass after a rebound of Harley's shot. Benn's 999th career point gave Dallas a 2-1 lead with 4:43 remaining in the opening period. The Stars captain connected on a one-timer from the slot. Robertson's power-play goal from the bottom of the left circle 1:34 later extended the lead to 3-1.

Stenberg finished a 2-on-1 opportunity by scoring from the bottom of the left circle off a pass from Celebrini to make it 3-2 at 2:47 of the second period.

Harley's power-play goal, a one-timer from above the high slot with 5:30 remaining in the middle period, restored Dallas' two-goal advantage.

However, Smith's power-play goal on a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle, off a back-door pass from Mason Marchment near the side of the net with 2:58 remaining in the second, pulled San Jose within 4-3.

Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. Teammate Sam Steel returned after missing one game for personal reasons.