Erik Cole scored on a breakaway with just under five minutes left in the third period to lift Dallas to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday to cap a festive night for the Stars on which they retired Mike Modano’s No. 9 jersey.
Tyler Seguin tied the game at 3-3 with a power play goal at the 11:11 mark of the third period to pull the Stars level with the Wild after Minnesota’s Kyle Brodziak broke a 2-2 tie a little over a minute into the final frame. Seguin also had two assists on the night.
Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen left at 6:37 of the third period after Minnesota’s Erik Haula ran into him.
The hit drew the ire of Stars coach Lindy Ruff, who said Haula should be suspended for the play.
“Obviously, it’s not good,” Ruff said. “He went in hard, hit the crossbar hard. The likelihood is it’s a concussion on just a dirty play. It should be suspended. A fourth-liner takes out our goaltender.”
Haula received 15 minutes in penalties, a major for charging plus a game misconduct, and the ensuing power play led to Seguin’s tying goal.
In Lehtonen’s place, Tim Thomas made his Stars debut. Dallas acquired him from the Florida Panthers in a trade at Wednesday’s deadline.
Four minutes after Lehtonen departed, Cole picked up a loose puck at center ice and beat goalie Darcy Kuemper with 4:49 left in the third.
Dallas left wing Jamie Benn scored just 31 seconds into the game to give the Stars a quick lead, but Haula scored a shorthanded goal later in the first period to tie it before the intermission.
Alex Chiasson also scored for Dallas and Charlie Coyle scored in the second period for Minnesota.
Before the game, the Stars retired Modano’s number in front of a Dallas-record crowd of 19,109.
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