In Dallas, Jake Oettinger made 21 saves for the Stars in a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Columbus took an early 1-0 lead on a goal from Vladislav Gavrikov.
The Stars tied it in the first and then struck for four goals in the middle frame to put the game away.
Jamie Benn tied the game just past the midway point of the opening period.
“The way we talk on the benches is if we get one we’re going right back at them,” Stars head coach Rick Bowness said. “If they score, we want to go back at them. That’s been the attitude we’ve always had. We want to push the pace, and especially when we get a goal.”
Denis Gurianov scored in the second period for a 2-1 Dallas lead.
“We played a really good first period and then for whatever reason we just kind of take our foot off the gas pedal,” the Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson said “I keep saying that, but that’s what happens. It seems like we go from playing on our toes to trying to make plays and getting out of the forecheck and trying to sit back.”
Dallas improved to 17-14-12.
Joe Pavelski pushed the lead to 3-1.
“When you’re rolling, guys have more confidence,” Pavelski said. “The biggest thing is we’ve got to keep taking care of business and that’s what we’ve been able to do.”
John Klingberg capped the scoring with a goal 20 seconds after Pavelski’s strike.
“We’ve been playing pretty good 5-on-5 for a while,” Klingberg said. “It seems like the puck is going in right now and we got timely goals as well, which allows you to get momentum in the game and get a little bit of a breather.
“We’ve proven at times that when we score one we’ve stayed on the attack and we get a second one. We’ve had some good second periods lately that have changed games for us.”
Columbus has lost five straight and 12 of their last 14.
“We have to go out and do the right things,” the Blue Jackets’ Oliver Bjorkstrand said. “We know what the right things are. We just have to have the mindset. If we can do it in the first period, there’s no excuse in the second.”
Joonas Korpisalo got the start for Columbus, but yielded four goals and made 12 saves. He was given the hook in the second period.
Elvis Merzlikins made 15 saves in a mop up role.
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