DALLAS (AP) — Jason Robertson beat the first-period buzzer while scoring twice and the Dallas Stars kept pace in the tight Central Division playoff race with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assists and Colin Miller scored as the Stars reached 100 points after starting the night with the same total atop the Central as defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado and Minnesota.
The Wild lost 4-1 at Pittsburgh to stay at 98 points, and Colorado was at San Jose later. The Avalanche have a game in hand on the Stars and Wild, but Dallas owns the tiebreaker against both teams with more regulation wins.
Kevin Hayes prevented Jake Oettinger’s fifth shutout of the season with his 18th goal in the second period. The Dallas goalie had 24 saves in the Flyers’ fourth consecutive regulation loss.
The Stars, 6-2-1 in their past nine games, were in control by early in the second period despite being without their second-leading goal-scorer in Roope Hintz, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
In his first game since becoming the first Dallas player with 100 points in a season, Robertson pushed his goal total to 45. The 23-year-old All-Star is up to 103 points.
The Stars were on a power play in the final seconds of a scoreless first period when Robertson ended up with the puck 1-on-2 on a broken play. His first shot to beat the clock ricocheted off Nick Seeler’s skate right back to him, and the second got past Seeler and goalie Carter Hart with 1.3 seconds left.
Pavelski’s 26th came on another power play 64 seconds into the second period when Miro Heiskanen’s shot clipped the blades of both Jamie Benn and Pavelski. Heiskanen’s 58th assist of the season was his 200th career point.
Miller scored from the high slot, and Robertson’s 45th capped Dallas’ three-goal second period for a 4-0 lead when Pavelski stole the puck behind the net and fed it to Robertson in front.
UP NEXT
Flyers: A four-game trip ends Saturday at the New York Islanders.
Stars: West-leading Vegas visits Saturday.
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