Casey DeSmith's 100th NHL victory needed 65 minutes, 25 saves and three more stops in a shootout against Martin Necas, Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson.
The Dallas Stars backup finished it by denying Brock Nelson in the fourth round of the shootout, sealing a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday at Ball Arena. According to NHL.com, DeSmith is now the 26th U.S.-born goalie in NHL history with 100 or more regular-season victories, and the sixth still playing.
RotoWire, writing for CBS Sports, noted the milestone came in his 222nd career game.
DeSmith stopped 25 of 27 shots for a .926 save percentage. Two other Colorado goals were erased on review before the first period was half over. Dallas also killed all four Colorado power plays, including two Mikko Rantanen minors, according to the Hockey-Reference penalty log, and both goals that counted came at even strength.
Two goals that did not count
The Avalanche started fast. Jaden Schwartz scored 1:55 into the game, but Dallas challenged for offside and won. At 9:29 of the first, Gabriel Landeskog put a puck in off his skate, and officials ruled he had kicked it, according to the Avalanche's team site.
Landeskog finally beat DeSmith legally at 4:55 of the second, redirecting a Nazem Kadri shot as he crossed in front. After Miro Heiskanen and Arttu Hyry put Dallas ahead 2-1, Colorado tied it at 8:21 of the third when Artturi Lehkonen's shot caromed off Thomas Harley to Nelson, who tucked it inside the short-side post.
Colorado kept pressing after that. The Avalanche outshot Dallas 27-22 overall, and Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said Colorado had the better of the third period.
"They came out hard in the third, made a push," Gulutzan told NHL.com. "'Case' was real good, and I thought it was a really even six periods."
