Dallas Stars Even the Series vs. Blues, Shift the Momentum In Game 4 and Win, 4-2

Dallas Stars tied the result in the series between them and the St. Louis Blues at 2-2. Stars won tonight with 4-2 and considerably improved their position in this matchup.

It is a huge win for the franchise from Texas, who would end up on the brink of elimination if they lost this contest.

If that was the case, the Blues’ would need only one win to close the series, and having in mind that the next game is at the Enterprise Center, a scenario like that could easily have happened.

Stars’ goalie, Ben Bishop, confirms that his team had no other option but to win this match, as they too knew the above mentioned. He revealed what moved him and his teammates at American Airlines Center last night.

“Desperation’s a good word,” he said. “But I think we were just playing the way we were supposed to play. Guys came in tonight and did the job.”

And things really looked desperately for the hosts in the opening minutes of the match. Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Blues after 5:02. The guests were ahead, and they got a swing with an early lead.

But Jason Dickinson’s goal at 11:23 was a gif from heaven, especially with the way Dallas’ center scored it. Mats Zuccarello sent an inaccurate shot which came back of the board, to Tyler Seguin who fired one of his own, but that too was stopped. The puck came to Dickinson who placed it behind Jordan Binnington while falling down on the crease.

“The only thing I think we can take from that is confidence. I don’t think we can read too much into how the last series went because it’s a whole new thing now.”

With 52 seconds left in the first period, the momentum changed completely. Jason Spezza brought the lead to the hosts, with a powerplay goal.

From that moment on the home, the team played without any pressure, and everything went in their favor. Stars easily controlled the match, they also controlled the tempo of play, scoring in the perfect moments.

A third goal came 34 seconds before the middle of the second period, and it was John Klingberg who beat Binnington, while Roope Hintz gave hosts a three-goal lead with 2:32 left in the same sequence.

When mentioning Binnington, the young goalie was provoked by Jamie Benn at the end of the second, when Stars’ captain hit him with a stick, with the time running out. The 25-year old exploded and wanted to fight with Benn. After receiving a penalty, he didn’t calm down, but earned another one, by slashing Stars’ goalie Ben Bishop.

Some are saying that Benn’s move was a retaliation for David Perron’s move on Ben Bishop a minute earlier. Hosts’ goalie received a hit in the back and the officials didn’t penalize his action, although it was obvious.

Nothing interesting took place in the last period, and the game ended in a calm manner, even though everything pointed in another direction. Robert Thomas added another for the visiting team with 6:16 left.

Desperation was the word Blues’ coach Craig Berube also mentioned after the game, when explaining the reasons for his team’s loss. According to Berube, the intensity of play and the desire for the win were bigger among the rivals.

“They were desperate and we didn’t match that desperation in the first two periods,” Blues coach Craig Berube said.

Game 5 is in St. Louis. It is interesting that the Blues won only one of their four home encounters against the Stars this season. It was the opening game of this series. What is also some kind of a pattern is that Dallas wins against this opponent all came with at least four goals scored.

The match in Missouri will be played this Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.