Dadonov and Benn score as Stars beat Utah 2-1 for 3rd straight win

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Evgeni Dadonov and Jamie Benn each scored to help the Dallas Stars beat the Utah Hockey Club 2-1 on Monday night for their third straight win.

Casey DeSmith stopped 34 shots for Dallas, which has won eight of its last 11 games.

Nick Schmaltz scored and Karel Vejmelka finished with 19 saves for Utah, which fell to 3-2-1 in its last six.

Dadonov scored on the power play at 7:07 of the second period and Benn made it 2-0 in the final minute of the period.

Schmaltz got Utah on the scoreboard at 6:57 of the third.

Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev played his 500th career game on Monday.

Utah Hockey Club: Utah continues it’s up-and-down play, not having won consecutive games since winning its first three to start the season.

Stars: The win brought Dallas to 32 points, strengthening its hold on third place in the Central Division and moving four points behind Minnesota and Winnipeg atop the division.

Early in the first period, with a loose puck floating toward him, DeSmith flicked it away with his shoulder pad. That play set the tone for his evening.

Utah is now just 2-8-1 when allowing the first goal this season, while Dallas is now 12-2-0 when scoring first.

Stars visit Los Angeles on Wednesday, while Utah visits Buffalo on Saturday.

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

Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) makes a save against the Dallas Stars during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Dallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith (1) makes a save against Utah Hockey Club right wing Dylan Guenther (11) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Dallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith, right, makes a save against Utah Hockey Club center Alexander Kerfoot (15) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (23) and Utah Hockey Club center Nick Bjugstad (17) battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Dallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith (1) makes a save against Utah Hockey Club center Jack McBain (22) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Utah Hockey Club during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Dallas Stars right wing Evgenii Dadonov (63) celebrates with teammate Miro Heiskanen (4) after scoring against the Utah Hockey Club during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

NEW YORK (AP) — A taxi driver whose car hit six pedestrians when he jumped a curb in a Manhattan shopping district on Christmas Day was having a medical episode at the time, New York City police said Thursday.

Two of those hurt are Australians, according to that country's foreign ministry.

An NYPD spokesperson would not elaborate on the type of type of medical episode the driver experienced but said no criminality is suspected at this stage. The 58-year-old was taken to a hospital in stable condition for further evaluation.

Also hospitalized after the yellow taxi drove onto the sidewalk across the street from Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square were a 9-year-old boy with a laceration to his right thigh, a 49-year-old woman with a leg injury and a 41-year-old woman. All were in stable condition, police said.

Three other pedestrians, women aged 19, 37 and 49, declined medical treatment.

A statement from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs did not give more details about its citizens who were hurt but said they were receiving consular assistance.

Herald Square is a major shopping destination for tourists and locals, with the Macy's store taking up an entire city block between 34th and 35th streets. It is among the city's many retailers that feature elaborate Christmas window displays.

Associated Press writer Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed.

This image taken from video provided by Aron Ranen shows a taxi cab that jumped a curb and hit pedestrians in Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 in New York. (Aron Ranen via AP)

This image taken from video provided by Aron Ranen shows a taxi cab that jumped a curb and hit pedestrians in Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 in New York. (Aron Ranen via AP)