LDN - Sports

Cracknell, Niemi lift Stars past Ducks in opener

[October 14, 2016] DALLAS -- The Stars' potent offensive tandem of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin accounted for only one point, but Adam Cracknell and Antti Niemi stepped up in Dallas' 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday in the season opener at American Airlines Center.

Cracknell had a goal and an assist, and Niemi stopped 33 of 35 shots.

Signed this summer to provide depth, Cracknell assisted on the game-winning goal by Antoine Roussel early in the third period. Cracknell, who started the game on the fourth line before moving up to the third line, where he picked up both of his points, delivered an insurance tally later in the frame.

"I thought he did a lot of good things," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of Cracknell. "Obviously, the goal and the assist were great. I thought he got himself in the right spot a lot of times. With the absence of some of our players, he really did a nice job for us tonight."

Lauri Korpikoski scored a goal and Dan Hamhuis added an assist in their Stars debuts.

Stephen Johns also scored in the first period for Dallas, which had only one shot in the opening 20 minutes.

Andrew Cogliano scored both goals for Anaheim, his ninth career multi-goal game.

"I think we were in the game," Cogliano said. "We minimized and did a good job against their better players. We gave them a couple goals, easier goals in terms of being in front of net, and we weren't getting those."

Dallas scored first when Johns tapped in a Patrick Eaves pass 3:40 into the game. Eaves beautifully threaded a cross-ice pass from the left side through the Anaheim crease, and Johns got his stick inside of Cam Fowler's right skate to poke the puck past goaltender John Gibson.

Anaheim tied it with 5:51 remaining in the first when Cogliano collected his own rebound to score a short-handed goal.

The Ducks had four power plays in the first period, two coming on a double minor on Jordie Benn for high-sticking, but were 0-for-4 with the man advantage and finished 0-for-5.

"You can't give up three goals from the top of your crease," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "We didn't have coverage, and they scored three goals from in tight."

Dallas regained the lead 2:43 into the second period when Korpikoski, who was signed on Monday, scored on a one-timer from the edge of the left circle after Devin Shore fed him a backhand pass from the slot.

Korpikoski then flicked a quick wrist shot into the back of the net, beating Gibson far post.

The Stars had two great chances to put some distance between themselves and the Ducks later in the second period, but a Jason Spezza one-timer from the left circle found the left goalpost with 6:03 remaining and Gibson denied Seguin at close range less than a minute before second intermission.

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Stars goalie Antti Niemi (31) allows a short handed goal to Anaheim Ducks left wing Andrew Cogliano (7) during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Cogliano briefly tied the game at 2-2 with his second of the game 1:01 into the third period, beating Niemi on a one-timer from the slot after a Jiri Hudler turnover inside the Dallas zone.

The Stars quickly answered when Roussel knocked in Cracknell's backhand pass 22 seconds later. Cracknell's pass traveled through the crease, and despite not striking the puck cleanly, Roussel still was able to score.

"I think it's just trying to get that momentum back (after they score)," Cracknell said of his assist. "That's our role. (Roussel) made a good yell, I knew he was back door, and I just whacked it over there. He's a guy who is going to work hard for that puck."

Cracknell then made it a two-goal game with 10:23 remaining when he tapped in a Radek Faksa pass.

Gibson stopped 16 of 20 shots.

NOTES: The Ducks scratched RW Emerson Etem, D Korbinian Holzer and D Clayton Stoner. Etem was claimed off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks earlier Thursday. ... The Stars scratched D Esa Lindell, LW Curtis McKenzie and D Jamie Oleksiak (muscle strain). ... Families representing officers killed in the July 7 shootout in downtown Dallas performed the ceremonial puck drop alongside Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf and Stars captain Jamie Benn. The Stars also wore special decals on their helmets to honor the five fallen officers. ... Ducks RW Jared Boll, LW Mason Raymond and C Antoine Vermette made their team debuts, while D Jacob Larsson and RW Nick Sorensen made their NHL debuts. ... RW Adam Cracknell, D Dan Hamhuis, RW Jiri Hudler and LW Lauri Korpikoski made their Stars debuts. ... Ducks LW Nick Ritchie and Stars RW Brett Ritchie, his older brother, faced each other for the first time in the NHL.

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