But the call on Manny Malhotra's goal 13 seconds into overtime last night didn't appear questionable in the least. That it was reviewed by Toronto was surprising. That it was disallowed after a lengthy review -- the goal was deemed to have been scored with a "distinct kicking motion" -- was considered inconceivable, even to the Dallas Stars.

The Stars won 6-5 in a shootout in front of 16,128 in the American Airlines Arena, a wild ending to a wild game that was dotted with goals, fights, cheap shots, premature celebrations and horrible goaltending.

Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was stunned and angry after the game.

"We won the hockey game," Hitchcock said. "We won the hockey game. It was a good goal. I don't care what anybody says, we won the hockey game.

"We outplayed them They can put up whatever score they want down there, they can put up whatever score they want in the National Hockey League. We won the hockey game.

"That player did not kick it. All he tried to do was get out of the way of the goaltender."

The Blue Jackets came back from 4-2 and 5-3 deficits to force overtime, the tying goal scored by left winger Rick Nash with 2:39 remaining in the third period.

Nash had two goals and an assist, R.J. Umberger one goal and two assists and Kristian Huselius and Derick Brassard one goal apiece.

But the Blue Jackets believe Malhotra should have been on the scoresheet, too.

Shortly after overtime began, Malhotra raced after a loose puck in the Stars' zone and made a backhand pass in front of Stars goaltender Marty Turco. As Malhotra continued through the slot, trying to avoid Turco, the puck caromed off his right skate and into the goal under Turco's pads.

The Blue Jackets poured off the bench to celebrate. Both NHL referees, Stephane Auger and Kerry Fraser, ruled the goal legal on the ice.

But only seconds later, the light flicked on near the scorer's booth.

"I couldn't have kicked it if I tried," Malhotra said. "I didn't understand the explanation. For them to say it was a kicking motion this ranks right up there. It's a really frustrating way to lose a point."

The Stars, who got a hat trick from winger Loui Eriksson, won with shootout goals from Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro through Blue Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire.

Huselius and Nash were stopped by Turco, making a third Jackets shooter unnecessary.

The Blue Jackets got off to a rough start, too. Brassard, only five minutes after scoring his 10th goal of the season, challenged Dallas' James Neal to a fight after Neal's hard hit on Fedor Tyutin.

The fight did not go well for Brassard, who absorbed two hard rights from Neal and asked for the fight to be stopped. He headed straight to the dressing room because of a shoulder injury.

If it's a separated shoulder, Brassard could miss a minimum of three weeks.

The Blue Jackets lost a tough game. They might have lost their only skilled center in the process.

aportzline@dispatch.com