Roope Hintz Shootout Winner Lifts Stars Past Avs

Roope Hintz needed four rounds to settle it. The Dallas Stars center scored in the fourth round of the shootout, and Dallas edged the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Wednesday at Ball Arena to split their home-and-home set.

The win ended a two-game winless stretch for the Stars (3-3-1), including a 3-2 loss to Colorado on Tuesday. Back-to-back nights against a Central Division rival produced two one-goal games and a shootout, and Dallas finally got the two points.

How Hintz finished it

Hintz came in slow and patient. "I just tried to come a little bit slower from the left side and tried to pick my spot and just get a shot there," he said. "Always a good match against them, and I think we played really good yesterday. Just didn't get the result we wanted, so I think it was good to come back today and get the win."

Jason Robertson also scored in the shootout for Dallas. Nazem Kadri was the only Colorado shooter to beat Casey DeSmith, who made 25 saves.

"That was a big boy game last night," coach Glen Gulutzan said. "I think it was pretty even, but it's a big win for us."

Heiskanen, Hyry and a milestone night

Colorado had two first-period goals overturned before Gabriel Landeskog finally got one to count, tipping a Kadri shot at 4:55 of the second. Miro Heiskanen answered at 15:03, roofing a wrist shot short side from the left dot off a Mikko Rantanen feed. It was Heiskanen's 70th career goal, passing Daryl Sydor for sixth among defensemen in Stars franchise history.

Arttu Hyry put Dallas ahead shorthanded 1:20 into the third. He picked off a Cale Makar play at his own blue line, outraced the defenseman the length of the ice and went forehand to backhand past Scott Wedgewood's glove. "My dad used to always tell me to do that move, so I guess it was maybe just instinct," Hyry said.

Brock Nelson tied it 2-2 at 8:21 of the third when an Artturi Lehkonen shot caromed to him on the left side. Wedgewood finished with 20 saves for Colorado (4-2-1).

DeSmith's win was the 100th of his career. He is the 26th American-born goaltender in NHL history to reach 100 regular-season wins.

Injury watch

Stars forward Oskar Back left in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return, and Gulutzan had no update. Avalanche forward Nicolas Roy sat out with an upper-body injury and is day to day.

Stars fans will take a split with Colorado every time. Hintz picked his spot, and Dallas left Denver with two points.