Evan Bouchard, Jack Roslovic and Connor Clattenburg scored for the Oilers (10-10-5), who have lost four of their past five (1-3-1).
“I don’t really have an answer right now. It’s just really, start to finish, not good enough,” said Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl. “It’s very concerning. Everything is very concerning. We’re nearly 30 games in and still don’t seem to have it down or know what we are.
“I don’t really know what to say, it’s just not good enough right now.”
Stuart Skinner allowed four goals on eight shots in the first period before Calvin Pickard took over in goal to start the second period and made 18 saves.
“I really feel like goaltending is a team thing,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. “It’s tough for goalies to look good when the group in front of them is not playing well. I don’t really care who it is, when the team in front of them is not playing up to their standards, then it is tough for a goalie to look good. I felt bad for both of them.
“We’ve still got lots of confidence. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but there’s still an overarching belief that we’ll figure it out. Obviously, doesn’t look that way now, but at least I still feel it.”
Benn put the Stars ahead 1-0 at 3:48 of the first period, after Johnston dug the puck out behind the net before sending him a cross-crease pass for the putaway with his first goal of the season.
The Dallas captain was playing in his fourth game of the season after missing the first 19 games after sustaining a collapsed lung in a preseason game. With the goal, Benn became the second player in franchise history to reach the 400-goal milestone, after Mike Modano (557).
“It kind of all came together tonight,” Benn said. “Obviously, our start was great, that’s how we want to start games on the road, especially against good teams like this.
“I know what they’re all about over there, so having a good start goes a long way.”
Roope Hintz made it 2-0 on the power play at 10:51, picking up the rebound off a shot by Miro Heiskanen and sending it over Skinner’s right shoulder.
Bastian extended the lead to 3-0 at 15:24, winning a puck battle along the boards in the neutral zone to spring an odd-man rush before cutting into the slot and going top shelf with a wrist shot.
“For guys like me that maybe don’t get as many chances as some of those guys that create a lot of offense, when you do get a chance you have to try and put the puck in a good spot,” Bastian said. “I don’t know when my next 2-on-1 is going to be so I wanted to shoot and it turned.”