The Dallas Stars shone on the ice Saturday, outshining the Seattle Kraken with a 3-1 victory to clinch the Central Division title. The win reverberated as a significant achievement, being the team's first division crown in eight long years.
Miro Heiskanen, the Stars’ dashing defenseman, had his stick in just about everything, scoring a goal and assisting two, per NBC DFW. Jason Robertson was no slouch either, contributing a goal and an assist to the effort. It wasn’t just the stars for the Stars lighting it up; Craig Smith also netted one, ending the first period with a buzzer-beater, that, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.
Robertson's performance gives him a team-leading 80 points, noted NBC DFW. But it wasn't just the offense putting on a show. Dallas' goalie, Jake Oettinger, stopped 26 shots and only Kailer Yamamoto managed to sneak one past him for Seattle late in the third period.
The victory has Dallas in contention for not just the Western Conference's top seed, but also the prestigious Presidents’ Trophy with only one game remaining in the season, as detailed by ABC News. Yet as monumental as this win is, Heiskanen knows it's only the beginning. "It's great to win [the division], but we're far from done," he said in a statement provided by ABC News, acknowledging the path ahead.
While the Stars aim for greater heights, the Seattle Kraken began a season-ending four-game road trip with a stumble. Battling for goals against the Stars—the posts and crossbars proved to be allies for Dallas as three of Seattle’s shots struck them without crossing the line, according to NBCDFW reporting. Saturday's game was a showcase of close calls and what-ifs for the Kraken, but a testament to a Stars' defense that held firm when it mattered.
The Stars (51-21-9, 111 points), still have their glare fixed on the prize, could usurp the Western Conference regular-season crown depending on outcomes of other games, per Reuters. The Stars skate with their eyes on the prize, with only one game standing between them and the full realization of their regular-season aspirations.
