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Stars rally from 1st-period deficit to even series with Ducks

Jerome Miron / USA Today

The Dallas Stars scored four unanswered goals in the second and third periods to take Game 4 by a score of 4-2 on Wednesday, evening their series with the Anaheim Ducks at 2-2.

Anaheim controlled most of the first period, building a 2-0 lead despite missing Teemu Selanne and captain Ryan Getzlaf, who returned to Anaheim to deal with an upper-body injury. Dallas took over after tying the contest with two quick goals in the second and added two goals 82 seconds apart in the third to ensure the series will return to Dallas for Game 6 on Sunday.

[Source: ExtraSkater.com]

Star Performer

Vernon Fiddler was rewarded for his strongest game of the series with a goal and an assist. Fiddler led the Stars in puck-possession metrics and formed an excellent shutdown line with Shawn Horcoff (two assists) and Colton Sceviour - the three of whom were on the ice for more defensive-zone faceoffs than any other Dallas players.

Turning Point

Dallas was staring a 3-1 series deficit in the face after falling behind by two goals in the opening 20 minutes, but Jamie Benn gave the Stars some life by getting them on the board 27 seconds into the second period. Benn pounced on the puck off a faceoff at Anaheim's blue line and flicked a wrist shot top corner.

Highlight Reel

Patrick Maroon's first career playoff goal was a funny one. Maroon was credited with Anaheim's second goal of the game late in the first period when a shot deflected off his pants and fluttered over Kari Lehtonen, who made 21 saves for the victory.

Cody Eakin also scored his first career playoff goal with a great individual effort on this rush in the third period. Eakin's marker gave the Stars a 3-2 lead and stood up as the game-winner.

Fiddler's best play of the game was this perfect assist to Alex Goligoski on Dallas' fourth goal. Fiddler gained the zone and hesitated just enough to create some separation between the Ducks backcheckers and the blue line, where Goligoski was pinching towards the slot. Fiddler found Goligoski with a beautiful tape-to-tape backhand pass and Goligoski finished the play with a shot just as nice.

Goligoski's goal chased Frederik Andersen from Anaheim's net and Jonas Hiller played the final 10:34 of the contest.

Quote of the night

Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler was not willing to point to the absence of their captain as the reason for Anaheim's loss. He knows the team is capable of more than they showed on Wednesday and he'll have at least two more games to prove it.

Series at a glance

Game 1 Recap: Ducks 4, Stars 3
Game 2 Recap: Ducks 3, Stars 2
Game 3 Recap: Stars 3, Ducks 0

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