On Dec. 22, the Blackhawks came to Dallas to play the Stars, who then had a comfortable lead atop the Central Division.
That night, the Stars shut out the Hawks and pulled 10 points ahead of them in the standings. The Hawks went home and unwrapped Christmas presents, thinking a division title might be a little beyond their grasp. January changed the dynamic in a hurry, with the Hawks overtaking a slumping Stars team for first place with a 12-game winning streak.
But if there were still any doubts that the Hawks became a better, more dangerous team since the teams' last meeting, the Hawks put those to rest Saturday as they dominated from the first minute of a 5-1 victory at the American Airlines Center and moved five points ahead of the Stars in the standings.
After an exhausted Hawks team limped into the All-Star break losing three of four games, they have emerged on the other side refreshed and dangerous. The Hawks have won their first three games — all on the road — and avenged a 4-0 loss to the Stars that had been nagging at them for more than six weeks.
"The last time they took it to us and it was a closer game than the score actually said, but (Saturday) was definitely one of the bigger ones this year," said goaltender Corey Crawford, who made 36 saves.
Artem Anisimov had a goal and three assists and the Hawks shrugged off two of their six penalties with a pair of short-handed goals, giving them three in their last two games, including one from Anisimov.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville talks about his team's 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars.
"These two teams probably consider each other a measuring stick throughout the season …" Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "You want to remember what happened last time we were here and use that as motivation."
The Hawks didn't appear to be lacking motivation from the start Saturday.
Thirty-four seconds into the game Brent Seabrook scored a power-play goal, blasting a slapshot from the right circle past former Hawks defenseman Johnny Oduya and goaltender Antti Niemi.
The Hawks poured it on Niemi in the first period getting two more goals — one from Trevor van Riemsdyk and another on a short-handed score off a rebound from Marian Hossa, who followed up a deft Toews play for his 496th career goal.
After the Hawks grabbed a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period, Niemi was pulled in favor of Kari Lehtonen, but the rout was on.
Anisimov stole the show in the second, muscling his way past two Stars to create a breakaway short-handed and assisting on Patrick Kane's 32nd goal of the season.
"We got refreshed and refocused out of the break. We've had a great road trip …" Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "(The Stars) beat us handily here last time, so we're even."
The Hawks realize the Stars aren't going anywhere soon — the teams will meet again at the United Center on Thursday — and the Stars have played three fewer games than the Hawks, meaning they still can catch up in the standings.
But the Hawks like their current view from the top.
1. Artem Anisimov, Blackhawks: Scored a short-handed goal and added three assists.
3. Niklas Hjalmarsson, Blackhawks: Defensive defenseman had offensive night with two assists.
Vs. Sharks, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; CSN.