Pavelski scores in OT to lift Stars over Devils 3-2

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Joe Pavelski scored 1:39 into overtime to lift the Dallas Stars over the New Jersey Devils 3-2 Saturday night.

Mattias Janmark broke into the Devils zone and took the initial shot, and Pavelski knocked the rebound past goalie Louis Domingue.

“Janni makes a good play, with his speed creating a chance, and I found a loose puck,” said Pavelski, who has goals in his last six games against New Jersey.

Jason Dickinson and Joel Kiviranta also scored for Dallas and Ben Bishop made 29 saves as the Stars improved to 3-4-0 in their last seven games as they battle to hold a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“Every two points you can get is important,” Stars interim coach Rick Bowness said. “We lost the 2-1 lead but battled back, and we need every point we can get. It’s a great way to start a very tough month.”

Kevin Rooney and Nico Hischier scored for New Jersey while Domingue stopped 28 shots. New Jersey, well out of the playoff chase in the Eastern Conference, has picked up points in its last three contests (1-0-2).

Rooney scored the only goal of the first period, an unassisted short-handed tally at 13:09. Blake Coleman set up the score by disrupting the Stars’ breakout in their defensive zone. That sent the puck bouncing to Rooney, who hammered it home from the high slot.

The goal, Rooney’s second in the last three games, gave the fourth-line center a three-game point streak.

The Stars turned up the pressure late in the second period and it paid off as Dickinson scored with 1:18 remaining to even the score at 1-1. Corey Perry perfectly timed a pass to Dickinson, who cut to the net for his seventh goal.

Kiviranta scored his first NHL goal to snap a third-period deadlock. Recalled from the minors Friday, Kiviranta knocked in his own rebound to give Dallas a 2-1 lead at 5:04.

Hischier pulled New Jersey even 11:53 with a screened shot from the high slot. Hischier missed several shifts earlier in the game after taking a hit from Stars defenseman Stephen Johns.

In the overtime, Hischier almost won it for the Devils on a breakaway but was denied by Bishop with a pad stop.

“I was going to go to my forehand side, ” Hischier said. “He’s going to slide away from me and the five hole is going to open. It clearly did not.”

NOTES: The Devils marked the 20th anniversary of their second Stanley Cup championship by bringing back many of the players from the team that beat the Stars in six games for a pregame ceremony. The assembled group of players, coaches and executives gathered around the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy, won that year by Scott Stevens, for a group photo at center ice. … The game was the start of a three-game swing for the Stars through the metropolitan area. They face the Rangers on Monday and the Islanders on Tuesday. … The Stars recalled Kiviranta from the Texas (AHL) to replace C Justin Dowling, who went on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT

Stars: Visit New York Rangers on Monday night.

Devils: Host Montreal on Tuesday night.