Dallas drubs Wild

DALLAS – Dallas Stars centers Vernon Fiddler had two goals and Tyler Seguin a goal and an assist, and goaltender Kari Lehtonen stopped 21 shots in a 7-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night at American Airlines Center.
The Stars (18-14-5), who won their fourth straight and finished their homestand a perfect 3-0-0, had a 1-0 lead after one period thanks to Fiddler’s first goal.
However, Dallas erupted for four goals in the second period with center Colton Sceviour, Fiddler, Seguin and lefts winger Erik Cole and Antoine Roussel to lead 6-1 after two periods.
Seguin’s first goal in four games chased Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper from the game. Kuemper stopped 17 of 21 shots before being relieved by backup goaltender Niklas Backstrom.
Minnesota (18-15-4) got its lone goal from left winger Thomas Vanek late in the second period as the Wild was on the power play.
Besides Fiddler and Seguin, three other Stars, Cole (goal, assist) defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (two assists) and rookie right winger Brett Ritchie (goal, assist) delivered two-point performances.
Dallas converted its first power play of the game, taking the lead when Fiddler scored his third goal of the season 5 minutes, 34 seconds into the game. Fiddler’s goal, his first since Nov. 1 against the Wild, came when he finished a pass from Cole from the left circle, beating Kuemper with a high wrist shot that beat him top shelf on the far side of the net.
The Stars went on the power play 1:01 earlier when Wild center Erik Haula was called for slashing Dallas left winger and captain Jamie Benn.
Sceviour opened the Dallas flurry of goals in the second with a slap shot from the right circle that beat Kuemper to his short side at 5:03.
Fiddler then added his second at 7:44, tapping in a no-look pass from rookie right winger Brett Ritchie at 7:44 from the slot. Ritchie scored his first NHL goal in Wednesday’s 6-0 win against Arizona and picked up his first career assist on Fiddler’s fourth of the season.
Seguin then joined the flurry at 9:16 of the second, tapping in a pass from rookie defenseman John Klingberg for his 26th goal of the season.
Cole added his seventh of the season with 8:45 remaining in the second as he knocked in a backhand pass from Benn.
Minnesota 0 1 0- 1
Dallas 1 5 1- 7
First Period-1, Dallas, Fiddler 3 (Cole, Daley) 5:34 (pp).
Second Period-2, Dallas, Sceviour 4 (Seguin) 5:03. 3, Dallas, Fiddler 4 (Ritchie, Oleksiak) 7:44. 4, Dallas, Seguin 26 (Klingberg, Benn) 8:56. 5, Dallas, Cole 7 (Benn) 11:15 (sh). 6, Minnesota, Vanek 7 (Koivu, Parise) 15:16 (pp). 7, Dallas, Roussel 9 (Garbutt, Oleksiak) 17:41.
Third Period-8, Dallas, Ritchie 2 (Moen, Oleksiak) 18:32.
Shots on Goal-Minnesota 5-11-6-22. Dallas 12-17-6-35.
Power-play opportunities-Minnesota 1 of 4. Dallas 1 of 5.
Goalies-Minnesota Backstrom 5-3-3 (14 shots-11 saves), Kuemper 0-0-0 (21-17). Dallas Lehtonen 17-8-5 (22-21).
A-18,532 (18,532). T-2:40.