WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - The results this season show that Dallas has figured out the Winnipeg Jets. Stars forward Radek Faksa doesn’t agree.
Faksa and Tyler Seguin each scored a pair of goals and the Stars snapped a two-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Jets on Monday.
The Stars, who won the season series with the Jets 3-1, hold the first wild card in the Western Conference and could possibly face the Jets in the first round of the playoffs. Winnipeg is in first place in the Central Division, two points up on Nashville, with a game in hand.
“It’ll be tough for sure,” Faksa said of a possible post-season meeting. “Winnipeg is one of the best teams in the league, and I would say playoffs is a way different season than a regular season, so it’ll be way different games than in the regular season.”
Esa Lindell also scored and Alexander Radulov had two assists for the Stars (39-31-6), who maintained their hold on the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Dallas’ Ben Bishop stopped 21 shots.
Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist and Patrik Laine ended a 12-game scoring drought with his 30th goal of the season.
Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves for the Jets.
“I don’t think it was good. That’s the way we can’t play,” Laine said. “I think we were just assuming that the game is gonna come to us but it doesn’t work that way.
“We gotta work hard for every single chance and not give them anything. Yeah, that wasn’t a very good game from us.”
Dallas dominated the second period, scoring three goals in less than a five-minute span.
“Tonight (the Stars) played with desperation,” Connor said. “They’re fighting for their lives for a playoff spot and tonight we didn’t match that.”
The Stars got their first power play of the game early in the second, but couldn’t capitalize on five shots. However, a minute after the power play ended, Dallas hit its stride.
Lindell’s shot from the top of the circle went by Hellebuyck’s blocker at 10:27.
Faksa then went in alone and beat Hellebuyck high on the glove side at 12:23.
The Stars then had a two-man advantage and Seguin notched his 30th goal of the season with a shot on the blocker side at 15:16.
Seguin scored his second goal on the power play at 10:34, adding to a four-game point streak that includes four goals and four assists.
“We’ve been playing well lately, you know we just haven’t gotten the results,” Bishop said. “It’s nice to get the result tonight.”
Winnipeg responded with a burst 29 seconds later as Connor notched his 33rd goal of the season.
“We didn’t have anywhere near the hop or jump we had the other night and couldn’t find it,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said.
Laine blasted a one-timer past Bishop at 15:10 that closed the gap to 4-2, but Faksa put the puck into an empty net with 40 seconds remaining for the final margin.
NOTES: Seguin has scored 30 or more goals in five of his last six seasons. … Bishop earned the 200th win of his career.
UP NEXT
Stars: At Calgary on Wednesday.
Jets: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday.
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