Morrow’s OT winner pushes Stars past Kings 4-3
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Brenden Morrow(notes) scored 38 NBA jerseys seconds into overtime, and the Dallas Stars rallied from a late deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.
The Dallas captain collected a back pass from Mike Ribeiro(notes) and eluded three Kings to score his 26th goal of the season for the Stars, who have won five of their past six and haven’t lost in regulation since Feb. 22.
Ribeiro had a goal and two assists, and Kari Lehtonen(notes) made 20 saves as the Stars wrapped up a four-game trip against the entire Pacific Division with a strong finish in their third California road game in four nights.
Trevor Daley(notes) and Jamie Benn(notes) scored tying goals for Dallas in the third period, with Benn getting a short-handed breakaway goal with 14:40 to play.
The Stars had lost five straight before their current surge, which has put them right back into a tie for fifth place in the muddled Western Conference standings.
Willie Mitchell(notes), Justin Williams(notes) and Kyle Clifford(notes) scored for the Kings, who lost three of four to wrap up a six-game homestand.
Los Angeles never trailed in regulation, but Dallas tied it three times. Benn’s breakaway goal erased a lead created by Clifford, a hardworking rookie who turned 20 in January.
Jonathan Bernier(notes) made 18 saves, Anze Kopitar(notes) had two assists and Williams earned his 400th career point with an assist for the Kings, still stuck in eighth place in the West. Up next is a four-game road trip, their final significant stretch away from Staples Center during the chase for their second straight playoff berth.
Mitchell scored his third goal of the season in the opening minutes, wiring a low shot from the point that deflected right through defenseman Stephane Robidas(notes) and Lehtonen. The goal was Mitchell’s first at Staples Center during his first season with the Kings.
Dallas didn’t get its first shot on goal until 9:17 in, but Ribeiro tied it in the second period when he joined an odd-man rush with no defenders near him, firing home his 13th goal from close range.
Just 35 seconds later, Williams fired a long shot and then split two defensemen to collect the long rebound allowed by Lehtonen, banging it home on his second hack for his 21st goal.
Daley evened it at 2 by sneaking into the Kings’ defense for his USA Team NBA first goal since Jan. 15 early in the third period. Clifford answered 44 seconds later, putting a perfectly placed shot in the far corner above Lehtonen’s glove for his first goal in 20 games.
But Kings defenseman Drew Doughty’s(notes) halfhearted pass from the point during a Los Angeles power play was intercepted by Benn, who skated in untouched for his 17th goal.
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