The Dallas Stars and New York Rangers produced starkly different results on their home ice over the weekend.
While the Stars rolled to another home win and described their performance as their “most complete” showing this season, the Rangers delivered another dud in front of their fans.
The Stars attempt to earn a fifth straight win while the Rangers hope to finally start consistently winning at home Tuesday night when the teams convene in New York.
Dallas has scored 21 goals during its second four-game winning streak of the season and is 10-1-1 in its past 12 games, including 6-0-1 on the road.
The Stars scored at least five goals for the ninth time this season when they earned a 6-1 win over the visiting Ottawa Senators on Sunday. Wyatt Johnston had a hat trick along with an assist for his second four-point showing in a four-game span.
“It probably was our most complete game, for me, of the year,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “The big four — goaltending was great, the PP was great, the PK was real solid and I thought our 5-on-5 play was probably the best of the year defensively. So, when you get those four things all working, it’s hard to beat.”
Johnston scored both power-play goals for Dallas, which is 7-for-14 on the man advantage in the past four games and scored multiple power-play tallies for the ninth time.
Jason Robertson also scored and set up two goals, giving him 13 goals and 22 points over his past 11 games. Mikko Rantanen added three assists, giving him six goals and 21 points in his past 14.
The Rangers’ 2-8-1 home record is the worst in the NHL. New York has been outscored 34-17 at home and its woes continued with a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon.
The Rangers were held to one goal or fewer at home for the eighth time this season and finished with 13 shots on goal. It was the sixth time they were held below 20 shots on goal, prompting coach Mike Sullivan to say they were “outcompeted.”
The Rangers gave up the first nine shots on goal on Saturday and were outshot 11-2 in the first period.
“We did it to ourselves,” captain J.T. Miller said after scoring the Rangers’ lone goal. “There was no urgency (Saturday). We dipped our toe into the game, got outplayed basically the whole time. It’s unacceptable. We’re trying to develop a standard and an identity around here, and that was certainly not it.”
The Rangers ended the game without Adam Fox, who sustained a shoulder injury on a hard hit into the boards by Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel and will miss at least 10 games after being placed on long-term injured reserve.
Fox (three goals, 23 assists) is tied with Artemi Panarin for the team lead at 26 points. He will not be eligible to return until Dec. 21 at the earliest, meaning the Rangers will host the likes of Colorado, Vegas, Montreal and Anaheim without their top defenseman.
