Stars win 3-2 after Heiskanen pass sets up Hintz overtime goal

Miro Heiskanen skated for 29 minutes and 20 seconds Thursday night, the heaviest load on the Dallas Stars' blue line. That duration set the stage for the play that decided the 3-2 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets at American Airlines Center.

The winning sequence began with a defensive stop. Jason Robertson blocked a Winnipeg scoring chance in overtime, recovering the puck after an earlier turnover by his own team created the opportunity. Heiskanen immediately sent the puck to Roope Hintz, who scored the decisive goal at 3:47 of the extra period.

The Stars' offensive pressure was evident in the shot statistics, with Dallas outshooting Winnipeg 38-19. However, Jets goaltender Connor Skinner made 35 saves, keeping the game close despite the volume disparity. The high save count indicates that volume alone did not guarantee an early regulation finish.

Winnipeg built a lead in the second period when John Johnston scored early in the frame. Gabriel Vilardi and Kyle Connor extended the advantage before Hintz scored a six-on-five equalizer with two minutes remaining in regulation. The game remained tied until the overtime finish.

The heavy minute totals for the top defensive pairing reflect the absence of Esa Lindell, who was scratched for the contest. Thomas Harley also played a heavy workload, logging 28 minutes and 27 seconds. The next most minutes were played by Lian Bichsel at 17 minutes and 47 seconds, with Nils Lundkvist, Tyler Myers, and Kyle Capobianco filling out the defensive group.

Heiskanen finished the game with five shots on goal, one block, and the winning assist. Harley did not record a goal. The specific pairings and workload distribution do not confirm a permanent defensive arrangement, as Lindell's return date has not been announced.