Dallas clinches second in Central Division
Jason Robertson scored twice to lead the Dallas Stars to a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers, securing second place in the Central Division. Dallas currently holds 20 points and a plus-6 goal differential, placing them ahead of Minnesota in the standings.
Robertson powers Stars past Rangers
Dallas secured the second spot in the Central Division following a 2-0 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Jason Robertson powered the offense by scoring a power-play goal midway through the third period and netting an empty-netter in the final minute. Matt Duchene provided the assists on both of the scoring plays. Robertson collected a rebound of a Duchene shot and flipped a backhander into the far side to beat Igor Shesterkin with 7:11 remaining. The Stars secured the position late in the third period when the Wild lost in regulation to the Nashville Predators, assuring themselves a first-round matchup against Minnesota. Jake Oettinger recorded his fourth shutout of the season with 22 saves to earn his 34th win. Oettinger previously played for the U.S. men’s team that Mike Sullivan led to a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Robertson now holds 44 goals, which puts him two goals shy of the career high he reached three years ago. Duchene’s playmaking was essential to the win.
Central Division standings shift
The Central Division standings look different this month as the Dallas Stars climbed the ranks. Colorado leads the division with 21 points and a plus-19 goal differential after 16 games played. Dallas holds the second position with 20 points and a plus-6 differential, while Minnesota sits in third with 19 points and a plus-1 differential. Winnipeg follows with 18 points and a plus-5 differential after 13 games. Nashville holds fourth place with 17 points and a minus-6 differential after 14 games. Chicago continues to struggle after finishing in eighth place for four consecutive seasons, holding only 15 points and a minus-2 differential.
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 16 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 21 | +19 |
| Dallas | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 | +6 |
| Minnesota | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 19 | +1 |
| Winnipeg | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 18 | +5 |
| Nashville | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 17 | -6 |
| Chicago | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 15 | -2 |
The standings rely on goal differential to break ties if clubs finish with the same number of points. Dallas moved ahead of Minnesota because their plus-6 differential beats the plus-1 differential for the Wild. Winnipeg holds a plus-5 differential, which keeps them competitive in the race for the top spots. The standings prioritize regulation wins and overtime wins before evaluating total wins or head-to-head competition. You should keep an eye on how these goal margins change as the season progresses. Can Dallas narrow that point gap before the postseason?
Rangers struggle with power play
Robertson’s scoring keeps Dallas in the hunt for the top spot. His 44 goals support a roster that signed him to a $12 million contract to bolster playoff competitiveness. This performance keeps him close to the career high he reached three years ago. Meanwhile, the New York Rangers face a difficult road trip after failing to score on the power play. The Rangers, who possess the second-best road power play in the league, went 0 for 5 with the man advantage during their match against Dallas, including a period of 1:02 of 5-on-3 late in the second. They sit last in the Eastern Conference and will miss the playoffs for the second straight year. This follows a season where they won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2024. Shesterkin stopped 17 shots in the loss, which marked his second regulation loss in 10 career decisions against Dallas. I think the Rangers’ power play collapse is a major reason for their current cellar position. Both teams head to the road on Monday, with the Rangers traveling to face Florida and the Stars traveling to Toronto. Dallas will attempt to maintain their momentum when they face Toronto on Monday.
