Columbus Blue Jackets vs Dallas Stars Match Player Stats On Apr 17, 2021

The Dallas Stars rode a four-goal outburst late in the second period in a 5-1 home victory over the slumping Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Jamie Benn, Denis Gurianov, Joe Pavelski, John Klingberg and Esa Lindell all collected one goal and one assist in the win. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 21 saves for the Stars, who are on a 4-0-2 roll.

The win puts Dallas (17-14-12) three points back of the Nashville Predators (24-21-1) in the chase for fourth place in the Central Division. Dallas has three games in hand. The Chicago Blackhawks (21-19-5) are one point ahead of Dallas.

Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz both collected two assists.

Vladislav Gavrikov scored the lone goal for the losing side. Starting goalie Joonas Korpisalo stopped 12 of 16 shots before being pulled in favor of Elvis Merzlikins. Merzlikins made 15 saves for the Blue Jackets, who have lost five straight games and are in a 2-10-2 slump.

With the score tied at the midway point, Gurianov started the onslaught when he and Benn combined on a give-and-go during an odd-man rush at the 10:10 mark of the middle frame. It was the first of four goals in a 5:30 span.

Pavelski made it a 3-1 affair three minutes later when he received a pass from Robertson as he headed to the slot, spun and whipped a backhanded shot into the net for his team-high 18th goal.

On the next shift, Klingberg scored when he elected to shoot on a three-on-one rush, and then Lindell rounded out the scoring when he stepped in from his point position during a flurry and buried a shot with 3:20 remaining in the period.

Gavrikov and Benn traded first-period goals. Gavrikov gave the visitors the lead when he scored at the 6:06 mark, but the Blue Jackets have a miserable 12-9-7 mark when scoring first, and that lead was short-lived.

Benn tied the game at 12:35 by burying a rebound opportunity, which sent the hosts on their way to a second consecutive win over the Blue Jackets.

--Field Level Media