Rookie Jamie Benn’s go-ahead goal helps Stars beat Oilers, 6-3

Benn sends Stars to 6-3 win over Oilers

DALLAS — Rookie Jamie Benn scored twice, including the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Dallas Stars kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 6-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

With the game tied at 3, Benn’s shot from the slot off a setup by Mike Modano trickled through goalie Devan Dubnyk’s pads and over the line at 2:22.

Modano had two assists, including the 800th of his NHL career, as he returned to the lineup after missing nine games following an appendectomy.

Mike Ribeiro’s goal at 8:35 of the final period stretched Dallas’ lead to 5-3, and Benn’s second of the night at 15:07 gave the Stars a three-goal advantage.

Brad Richards and Jere Lehtinen scored for Dallas during an 11-second span of the first period.

James Neal also had a first-period goal for the 10th-place Stars, who have four games remaining. Dallas is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the second straight season. That hasn’t happened since 1987 and 1988 when the franchise was based in Minnesota.

Dustin Penner, Marc Pouliot and Ethan Moreau had second-period goals for the Oilers, who have lost four straight. Edmonton has 55 points and is assured of finishing with the NHL’s worst record.

Neal converted Richards’ centering pass at 3:51 of the first period to give Dallas early momentum.

Richards made it 2-0 with 4 seconds left on a power play at 16:42 of the opening period with a one-timer from the slot. Lehtinen provided Dallas with a three-goal pad at 16:53.

At that point, the game looked like a runaway against the uninspired Oilers.

But Edmonton came out more focused after the break and mounted a comeback. Penner notched his team-high 28th goal on a breakaway at 4:46 of the second period.

Pouliot made it 3-2 at 9:06 when he tucked Penner’s goal-mouth pass into an open net, and Moreau tied it at 14:20 on a backhand shot that pinballed into the net off Modano’s skate.

The Oilers got off to a similar start in their previous game Tuesday night, falling behind Detroit 4-0 before rallying to give the Red Wings a scare in Detroit’s 5-4 victory.

NOTES: Edmonton C Gilbert Brule injured an ankle in the first period and didn’t return. … Benn has 21 goals this season. … RW Krys Barch (leg) sat out for Dallas. … Edmonton C Sam Gagner (hip) missed his fourth consecutive game. … Dallas is 21-3-2 in its last 26 home meetings with Edmonton. … The Stars are 7-8-2 since the Olympic break. … The Oilers made the third stop of a four-game road trip. … Edmonton is 0-8-1 in its last nine on the road.