After posting much-needed victories on Saturday, the Dallas Stars and Flyers will be back on the ice Sunday night in Philadelphia.
Dallas (44-18-11, 99 points) is playoff-bound but was mired in a four-game losing streak heading into Saturday’s game with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fortunately, the Stars received a big lift from the return of Mikko Rantanen, who had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 victory.
Rantanen had not played since Feb. 20, when he sustained a lower-body injury during the Olympics while playing for Team Finland. His most NHL game had been on Feb. 4.
“A little rusty, obviously,” Rantanen said. “It’s a lot different than practicing, you know? You can do a lot of things in practice, but games are a little different. Sometimes you think it’s faster than it is. … But overall, the body felt good.”
Jason Robertson chipped in with a goal and an assist for Dallas, giving him 40 goals for the third time in his career. Mavrik Bourque contributed two empty-net goals and an assist for the Stars.
“Not forcing it was a big thing,” Robertson said. “And, I mean, having a lot of talent out there helps.”
Philadelphia (36-24-12, 84 points) scored the first four goals Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings before holding on for a 5-3 victory. Owen Tippett recorded a hat trick and added an assist on Sean Couturier’s game-clinching, empty-net goal.
“He’s dragging a lot of us in the fight,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said of Tippett. “When he gets that puck, he’s as good as it gets right now in the league.”
The Flyers improved to 11-3-1 in their last 15 games but will continue to need victories as they trail three teams in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s a big win for us,” Tocchet said. “I think a couple of teams (Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators) lost today. We’ve got a huge game (Sunday).”
The Flyers certainly will need to play better down the stretch Sunday than they did on Saturday. The team led Detroit with under 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the third period before surrendering three quick goals.
“I loved our game for 55 minutes,” Tocchet said.
Of course, it helps to have Dan Vladar in net when it matters most. The Flyers’ goaltender has allowed more than three goals in just one of his last 16 starts, although he likely will watch Sunday while Samuel Ersson gets the nod at goalie.
The Stars, meanwhile, probably will turn to Casey DeSmith after Jake Oettinger started on Saturday.
This will be the second meeting between the teams this season. The Stars cruised to a 5-1 win in Dallas on Nov. 15 as Robertson recorded his sixth career hat trick, one of which has come in the playoffs.
The Stars have won five of the last six matchups vs. Philadelphia, although the Flyers enter Sunday’s game playing about as well as it has all season.
“Dallas is a good hockey team,” Tocchet said. “We’ll be ready.”
