Stars Shine In 2020 NHL Winter Classic; Defeat Predators 4-2 At The Cotton Bowl

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Della Young
Screen Shot 2020-01-01 at 3.03.45 PMPhoto: DallasStars via Twitter

The Central Division foes Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars clashed in the 12th Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Stars beat the Predators with four unanswered goals in the New Year’s Day matinee. This marked the first outdoor game for both teams and the second-largest crowd in NHL history, drawing 85,630 fans to Dallas. The 2014 Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings remain the largest crowd at 105,491 fans.

Predators Preview

Nashville: 18-14-6, 42 pts. (6th in the Central Division)

Points: Defenseman Roman Josi (39)

Goals: Josi (14)

Assists: Josi (25)

Goaltender Pekka Rinne has a .894 Save Percentage, 3.02 Goals-Against Average, and three shutouts.

Prior to the Winter Classic, the Predators fell 6-4 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 28 at PPG Paints Arena.

Stars Preview

Dallas: 22-14-4, 48 pts. (3rd in the Central Division)

Points: Center Tyler Seguin (32)

Goals: Forward Roope Hintz (13)

Assists: Seguin (21)

Goaltender Ben Bishop has a .926 Save Percentage, 2.34 Goals-Against Average, and one shutout.

The Stars headed into today’s game on a two-game winning streak after beating the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on December 29 at Gila River Arena.

First Period

Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis left just minutes into the opening frame after getting elbowed in the head by Stars forward Corey Perry. Perry received a five-minute major and game misconduct.

Nashville had a five-minute power play. On a 5-on-3 advantage, center Matt Duchene would get the visiting team on the board with a top-shelf goal assisted by forward Filip Forsberg and Josi. Josi improved his point streak to eight games.

The Predators would extend their lead with another power play goal by defenseman Dante Fabbro, making it 2-0. Duchene and Josi had the assists.

With a little over eight minutes left, 4-on-4 action occurred after Nashville defenseman Colin Blackwell took a roughing penalty against Dallas defenseman Radek Faksa. No goals were scored.

It would be 2-0 after twenty minutes of play. Shots-on-goal would be 10-8 in favor of the Predators.

Second Period

Nashville’s Ryan Ellis did not return for the rest of the game and was said to have sustained an upper-body injury.

With nine minutes remaining, Seguin would get the first penalty of the middle frame after boarding Predators’ forward Austin Watson. After an unsuccessful power play for the Predators, Seguin would almost get his team on the board with a backhanded shot that was saved by Rinne.

A late second-period power play would give the Stars a chance to covert after Josi cross-checked Stars’ center Joe Pavelski. Dallas was unsuccessful but quickly made it a 2-1 contest from a goal by forward Blake Comeau. Center Jason Dickinson and defenseman Esa Lindell had the assists. Comeau’s goal was his fifth goal of the season.

After forty minutes, Nashville still held onto the lead at 2-1. Shots-on-goal would be 16-12 in favor of Dallas.

Third Period

The Stars would carry over a late power play (delay of game from Blackwell) from the second period, and tied it up with a deflected goal by center Mattias Janmark. It would be the third power play goal of the Winter Classic.

Center Ryan Johansen of Nashville was busted for hooking Stars’ defenseman Miro Heiskanen. Dallas took advantage and claimed the lead. A slapshot from forward Alexander Radulov would mark the fourth power play goal of the game. Defenseman John Klingberg and captain Jamie Benn assisted.

Minutes later, the Stars would answer again thanks to defenseman Andrej Sekera’s backhanded goal. His first goal of the season made it a 4-2 game.

With 2:25 left in regulation, Rinne was pulled for an extra attacker on the ice for Nashville. The Predators could not convert and the Stars had several empty net chances.

Dallas would win 4-2 in the 2020 Winter Classic. The victory would improve the Stars to 23-14-4 and 50 points, tying them with the Colorado Avalanche.

Rinne made 31 saves and Bishop made 29 saves for the Stars.

NHL Announcements

During the second intermission, NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, announced the host for the 2021 Winter Classic. The next Near Year’s Day matinee will be held at Target Field, home of the MLB’s Minnesota Twins, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Wild will host.

Scenes from the Cotton Bowl

By Della Young

About Della Young

Della Young is an aspiring novelist and screenwriter who earned a BFA in Creative Writing from Full Sail University in 2021. She comes from a family of big Capitals fans and became inspired to start writing for hockey in 2019. In her spare time, Della enjoys traveling, cooking, and working on both sides of the camera. Follow Della on Twitter: @dellayoung
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1 Response to Stars Shine In 2020 NHL Winter Classic; Defeat Predators 4-2 At The Cotton Bowl

  1. Pingback: Stars’ Corey Perry Suspended Five Games For Elbowing Predators’ Ryan Ellis, Pushes Return To Anaheim Back | NoVa Caps

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