Nicholas Robertson part of key goals for Toronto in 5-3 win over Dallas and his older brother

By Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press on December 18, 2024.

Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) tries to get the puck from Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

DALLAS (AP) – Nicholas Robertson scored the go-ahead goal and assisted on another against his older brother’s team, William Nylander scored twice and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Dallas Stars 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Joseph Woll stopped 38 shots for the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs, who won for the fourth time in five games.

Robertson made it 3-2 with an unassisted goal at 5:31 of the second period, only 16 seconds after Nylander’s first goal tied the game. The 23-year-old Robertson assisted on Bobby McMann’s goal later in the second, when 25-year-old Jason Robertson was on the ice for the Stars.

McMann’s goal was the fourth for Toronto in its first eight shots against Jake Oettinger, who on his 26th birthday lost for only the second time in 14 starts this season at the American Airlines Center. Casey DeSmith replaced him in net to start the third period.

Evgenii Dadonov and Sam Steel scored for Dallas. Steel’s shot over Woll’s right shoulder made it 1-0 only 5:14 into the game, but Toronto tied it on Max Domi’s score 59 seconds later.

Takeaways

Maple Leafs: Woll is 9-4 in his 13 games this season, after being 12-11 in 23 starts last season.

Stars: Jamie Benn played in his 1,143th career game, one more than Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano for the most for the Stars since moving to Dallas in 1993. Modano’s franchise-most 1,459 games include 317 in four years before the team relocated from Minnesota.

Key moment

Nylander’s 20th goal of the season was an empty-netter with 1:43 left, only 33 seconds after Colin Blackwell scored when Dallas had an extra attacker on the ice.

Key stat

The Stars were 0 for 4 on the power play.

Up next

Toronto plays Friday at Buffalo. The Stars wrap up their season-long, six-game homestand Friday against the New York Rangers.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl