Dobes propels Habs past Stars for 4th straight win to start career

DALLAS (AP) — Alex Newhook's deflection broke a tie midway through the third period and unbeaten rookie Jakub Dobes made 32 saves as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Thursday night.

Newhook’s goal stood up following a replay review to check the height of his stick while he was tied up with Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston just outside the crease.

Dobes improved to 4-0-0, with all four victories coming on the road against teams with winning records: Florida, Colorado, Washington and Dallas. The 23-year-old goalie was brought up from Laval of the AHL following the NHL’s Christmas break to back up Sam Montembeault.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Joel Armia also scored for the Canadiens, who have points in 12 of their last 14 games (11-2-1). Armia’s was a last-minute empty-netter.

Jason Robertson scored for the Stars, who have lost two of their last three following a season-best seven-game winning streak. Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots but had his six-game winning streak snapped.

Robertson gave Dallas a 1-0 lead less than four minutes in, converting a rebound off a shot by Evgenii Dadonov. That lead lasted less than a minute, until Slafkovsky ended a 10-game goal drought.