Jets grounded by Stars

In Winnipeg, the visiting Dallas Stars used a three-goal second period to defeat the Jets, 5-2.

The Jets lost ground to the Nashville Predators who defeated the Minnesota Wild, 1-0.

Tyler Seguin and Radek Faksa struck for two goals apiece in the win as the Stars improved to 39-31-6.

Tyler Seguin had two goals in in win over Jets – file photo by Lewis Bleiman

“We played like a team,” Faksa said. “We had a great start, and the great start was important for that and to keep the pace. Except the last five minutes, maybe, we lost track with a bad penalty by me, but otherwise, I think it was overall a good game.”

Dallas is three points clear of the Colorado Avalanche for the first wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Ben Bishop made 21 saves to pick up the victory.

“We’ve been playing well lately, you know, we just haven’t got the results,” Bishop said. “It’s nice to get the result tonight.”

Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine were the Jets’ strikers.

“It wasn’t good,” Laine said. “That’s the way we can’t play. I think we were just assuming the game was going to come to us, but it doesn’t work that way. We’ve got to work hard for every single chance and not give them anything. That wasn’t a very good game from us.”

Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars.

“I think we caught them off of, obviously, a big game against Nashville their last game, and obviously an emotional one,” Dallas’ Andrew Cogliano said. “So sometimes it happens like that, where a team can come out flat, and when you play the right game, you usually win.”

[WATCH: Stars vs. Jets highlights]

Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves in the loss.

“They work real hard, compete real hard, and they got good players,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said after the disappointing effort from his Jets. “That’s a good hockey team. They’ve really tried to transition — this goes back a few years — out of that run-and-gun team to a grinding team, and they’ve done a good job of it.”