Jason Robertson Delivers Late-Game Heroics as Stars Edge Blues, 3-2
In a month where every point feels like a fight, the Dallas Stars finally got the kind of win they’ve been chasing - gritty, timely, and sealed with a bit of magic from their top scorer.
With just under a minute left in regulation and overtime looming, Jason Robertson stepped up and delivered the dagger. Off an offensive zone faceoff, he found just enough daylight over Jordan Binnington’s shoulder to lift Dallas to a 3-2 win over the St.
Louis Blues at American Airlines Center. It was the kind of clutch moment that championship-caliber teams find a way to create - and the kind the Stars have been missing in recent weeks.
“The past couple of weeks, we haven't been able to just get one at the end of games or just find a way to win close games,” Robertson said after the win. “So, that feels good.”
Yeah, it should. That was Robertson’s 30th goal of the season - and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Dallas had just come off a frustrating 1-0 loss in Columbus and had only managed two power-play goals through most of the night against the Blues. Robertson’s goal at even strength wasn’t just a game-winner - it was a statement that the Stars can still find answers when it matters most.
“Every point right now is huge,” said captain Jamie Benn. “And it’s nice to find a way there.”
Power Play Produces, But It Wasn’t Easy
The Stars did plenty right in this one. They drew five power plays and cashed in on two - one from Wyatt Johnston and another from Matt Duchene.
But this game wasn’t a runaway. The Blues actually held the edge in shots on goal (22-19) and shot attempts (45-43), and Dallas clearly looked like a team playing its third game in four nights.
Jake Oettinger had to be sharp between the pipes, especially as the Stars started to fade in the third period. Fatigue was setting in, and head coach Glen Gulutzan didn’t shy away from it.
“You can see us getting tired there towards the end, especially in the third,” Gulutzan said. “I thought we started good, but we were a little flat near the end.”
That’s what made Robertson’s goal so impressive - not just the timing, but the execution. In tight space, under pressure, and with the team running low on gas, he found a way. It was the 36th game-winner of his career, moving him to seventh in franchise history - and he’s done it in just 426 games.
“Just great hands,” Gulutzan said. “He didn't have much space.
It's a major goal. We were just talking about coming off Columbus, and you just need to find one.
It's not always how many you score, it's when you score.”
Stars Survive the Grind, Look Ahead to Road Trip
The win moved Dallas to 29-14-9, tying them with Minnesota for second in the Central Division. And while it wasn’t the cleanest performance, it was the kind of gritty, grind-it-out win that can help build momentum - especially for a team that’s struggled in games beyond regulation. Dallas is now just 4-9 in overtime or shootout situations, including four straight losses in those scenarios.
That’s why avoiding overtime altogether with Robertson’s late goal was such a boost. The Stars now get a bit of breathing room before heading out on a three-game road trip that starts in St.
Louis on Tuesday. With a winter storm bearing down on the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the timing couldn’t be better.
There are still some concerns. Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin left the game with a lower-body injury, and his status remains uncertain. And Mikko Rantanen, returning after missing two games with the flu, clearly wasn’t at full strength.
“Rants has been sick for four days, and I give him a lot of credit,” Gulutzan said. “He’s down weight, he didn’t feel great this morning, and I didn’t think he was playing. But he came and said, ‘I’m going to play.’”
Rantanen ended up logging 22:28 of ice time, including nearly seven minutes on the power play. That kind of effort - even at less than 100% - speaks volumes in a locker room that’s trying to rally through a tough stretch.
Top Guns Fire, Depth Chips In
The Stars leaned on their top scorers in this one, and they delivered. Robertson, Johnston, and Roope Hintz all had multi-point nights, with Hintz picking up a pair of assists. But what’s been encouraging for Dallas lately is the energy coming from the bottom six.
Guys like Mavrik Bourque, Justin Hryckowian, Radek Faksa, Colin Blackwell, and Oskar Bäck might not be lighting up the scoresheet, but they’re bringing pace, pressure, and smart shifts that help tilt the ice.
“They bring a lot of energy and they’re fun to play with,” Benn said. “We’re all just trying to set each other up. If one line has a good shift, we want to stack it up and just keep stacking shift after shift.”
That’s the formula the Stars need to keep chasing - stacking good shifts, leaning on their stars when it counts, and finding ways to win the close ones. On Friday night, they did exactly that.
And thanks to Robertson’s late-game brilliance, they didn’t need overtime to get it done.