Marchment snaps tie, Stars score 3 in third to beat Blackhawks 3-1

CHICAGO - Mason Marchment broke a tie with 5:06 left and the Dallas Stars came back with three goals in the third period to top the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Saturday night.

Closing in on a 2-on-1 break, Marchment fired in his 14th goal between Petr Mrazek's pads.

"I was definitely looking shoot," said Marchment, who has four goals in three games against Chicago this season. "I just kind of saw a little opening in the close-side five hole and luckily it went in."

Matt Duchene scored for the third straight game, tying it 1-all early in the third on a power play, as Dallas won for the third time in four games. Joe Pavelski iced it with an empty-netter with 23 seconds left.

Dallas trailed 1-0 heading into the third period. Boris Katchouk connected late in the second for sliding Chicago, which has lost three straight and eight of nine.

But the Stars came back in the second of back-to-back games after falling to Nashville 6-3 in Dallas on Friday.

"We found a way," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "I mean we were fatigued. That's wasn't our A-game. You could see it and we were definitely off. I give Chicago credit. They played hard. They defended hard. They had good jump."

Scott Wedgewood started in goal for Dallas, stopping all 14 shots he faced before suffering a lower-body injury and eventually being replaced by Jake Oettinger at 8:49 of the second period.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 13: Seth Jones #4 of the Chicago Blackhawks attempts to block the puck from Joe Pavelski #16 of the Dallas Stars in the third period at the United Center on January 13, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chase Agnello-De

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DeBoer wasn't sure exactly when or how Wedgewood was injured.

"I remember that he hurt it and he probably stayed in another seven or eight minutes in the game before he waved out," DeBoer said. "It kept getting worse and worse and tightening up."

Oettinger blocked 21 of 22 shots in getting the win.

Mrazek made 27 saves. The Blackhawks were stunned at Winnipeg on Thursday when the Jets scored twice in the final 3:29.

Oettinger, the Stars' top goalie, returned from missing 12 games with a lower-body injury on Friday in Dallas. Oettinger, who was hurt against Ottawa on Dec. 15, stopped 32 of 36 Predators shots on Friday before Nashville sealed it with two empty-netters.

"I wasn’t as fresh as I wanted to be," Oettinger said. "But that’s hockey."

Dallas improved to 3-0 against Chicago this season. The Stars swept a two-game set against the Blackhawks in Dallas on Dec. 29 and 31, winning 5-4 in overtime and 8-1.

The injury-depleted Blackhawks got a boost with the return of top defenseman Seth Jones, who missed 15 games with a shoulder injury. Jones entered leading Chicago with 25:25 of ice time per game, a mark that’s fourth-best in the NHL.

The 29-year-old Jones skated 21:10 in this one.

The Blackhawks dominated the second period, outshooting Dallas 19-9 and taking a 1-0 lead. But for the third straight game, Chicago managed only one goal.

"Playing that well, I feel bad for the guys," Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. "You know, we just couldn’t get that finish again."

Wedgewood was out of position after sliding to the left side of the crease to stop Philipp Kurashev’s close-in attempt. Then Dallas defenseman Ryan Suter blocked Taylor Raddysh’s shot that was headed into an open net 8:10 into the period.

Oettinger replaced Wedgewood 39 seconds later.

Katchouk finally opened the scoring with 7:04 left in the second, pushing in a rebound. Oettinger stopped Zach Sanford on a breakaway with a pad save, but Katchouk followed through for his fourth goal.

Duchene tied it 1 with a screened power-play goal 2:32 into the third. With Jamie Benn in front of Mrazek at the edge of the crease, Duchene's shot from inside the left point struck Mrazek and trickled in.