Stars own second period, hold off Jets 3-2

Wyatt Johnston collected a goal and an assist to lead the visiting Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday and maintain their hold on top spot in the Central Division.

Thomas Harley and Matt Duchene also scored for the Stars, who have won two straight games. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood made 31 saves, 15 in the third period while the hosts frantically pushed to tie the clash.

Cole Perfetti and Brenden Dillon scored goals for the Jets, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 shots.

Harley broke a scoreless deadlock at 2:13 of the second period. While the Stars were buzzing, Harley was set up at the right face-off dot and he buried a one-timer for his third of the season.

Johnston doubled the lead with a short-handed goal just over three minutes later. Johnston stole the puck at the Winnipeg blue line, zipped to the left face-off dot and fired a short-side shot home for his fifth goal of the campaign.

Perfetti put Winnipeg on the board at 8:28 of the middle frame. Wedgewood surrendered a long rebound on the original shot off the rush, and Perfetti was on the spot for his fourth goal of the season.

Duchene responded with a power-play goal at 11:57 of the period to restore the Stars' two-goal edge. Johnston sent a seeing-eye pass to Duchene to the front of the net, and he quickly converted for his fourth of the season.

Dillon again made it a one-goal affair midway through the third period with his fourth of the season, a long wrist shot from the point that gives the defenseman four goals in as many games, however the hosts could not find one more goal to force overtime.

—Field Level Media