In Dallas, Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn scored third period goals to snap a 1-1 tie and help send the Stars to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.
“We found a way to win against a really good team that’s as desperate as they come,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said. “We’ll take the two points and hopefully get our team game a little bit better. … We started to play more direct. We started to play the way you need to play this time of year to win in the [Stanley Cup] Playoffs.”
Jake Oettinger made 40 saves in the win.
“I just did the exact same thing I always do and got a big win,” Oettinger said. “I feel like I’m one of the best goalies in the world and I haven’t shown that. A lot of people have been saying [that] they think I’m exhausted. No one knows how I feel except for me. I feel great.”
Dallas improved to 39-19-14, and moved into first place by one point in the Central Division. The Minnesota Wild lost on skills to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
Pittsburgh dropped to 35-27-10 on their fifth loss in six games.
Sidney Crosby had a goal in the middle frame to tie the game, 1-1, and Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored late in the third to make the final minutes a bit more tense for the Stars in the 3-2 final.
“I think the group feels good about our game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought we played well enough to win. We didn’t win. The other team is a good team as well. It was a competitive hockey game.
“There was a lot to like about our overall game on both sides of the puck. We just have to keep fighting here.”
Pavelski’s third period strike was off the power play.
“From the start of the game, I think we wanted it,” Joseph said. “I think we showed some determination by playing hard like we did. There are a lot of good things that we can take from this game.”
Roope Hintz scored in the opening stanza to give the Stars a 1-0 advantage.
“Every team tries to be at their best these last 10 games,” Hintz said. “I think it’s huge to get more wins before the playoffs.”
Casey DeSmith made 30 saves in the Pens loss.
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