Heiskanen's Overtime Outlet Hands Hintz Winning Goal in 3-2 Stars Win

Miro Heiskanen recorded the decisive assist for the Dallas Stars in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets at American Airlines Center on Thursday. The winning goal came at 3:47 of the extra period when Roope Hintz finished a breakaway following a pass from Heiskanen.

The sequence began with a defensive recovery. Jason Robertson blocked a scoring chance for Winnipeg, immediately creating an offensive opportunity for Dallas. Heiskanen moved the puck forward, and Hintz capitalized on the one-on-one chance against the goaltender. Robertson had previously created the Winnipeg chance through a turnover, making the final exchange a shared defensive effort.

The win came despite a lopsided shot count. The Stars outshot the Jets 38-19, yet Winnipeg goaltender Connor Skinner made 35 saves to keep the game close. Dallas trailed for most of the contest after Gabriel Vilardi and Kyle Connor scored for Winnipeg in the second period. Johnston had opened the scoring for Dallas early in that same period, but the lead did not hold.

The Stars relied heavily on their top defensive pairings due to an injury absence. Esa Lindell was scratched for the game, forcing Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley to carry the load. Heiskanen played 29 minutes and 20 seconds, while Harley logged 28 minutes and 27 seconds. The next highest total belonged to Lian Bichsel, who played 17 minutes and 47 seconds. Nils Lundkvist, Tyler Myers, and Kyle Capobianco also saw ice time on the blue line.

Heiskanen finished the night with five shots on goal, one block, and the winning assist. Harley did not record a goal. The final goal for Dallas came from Hintz, who scored a six-on-five power play equalizer with two minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game at 2-2. That goal forced the overtime period that Heiskanen and Hintz eventually settled.

The game ended with Dallas holding a 3-2 lead. The team did not announce a return date for Lindell or a permanent change to the defensive rotation. The final score reflected a game won by a single finish in the extra period after a long shift for the team's primary defensemen.