Stars top Avs, earn critical win in Central Division race

Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists each, Tyler Seguin scored twice, and the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-4 in a critical Central Division game in Denver on Sunday night.

Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist, Roope Hintz and Mason Marchment had goals, Thomas Harley had three assists, and Jake Oettinger turned away 34 shots for travel-weary Dallas (49-20-9, 107 points), which moved closer to clinching the division crown with its ninth win in 10 games.

A windstorm in Colorado on Saturday forced Dallas to stay the night in Chicago after a 3-2 loss to the Blackhawks. The Stars flew into Denver on Sunday morning, arriving at noon local time, eight hours before puck drop.

Jonathan Drouin, Sean Walker, Artturi Lehkonen and Brandon Duhaime had goals, Nathan MacKinnon added two assists and Alexandar Georgiev made 30 saves for Colorado (48-24-6, 102 points).

The Avalanche were without Mikko Rantanen (concussion protocol).

Dallas led 2-1 after the first period, but Colorado tied it early in the second when Lehkonen scored off a pass from MacKinnon at 4:38. It was Lehkonen's 15th of the season.

Walker's double minor led to a pair of power-play goals for the Stars. Hintz made it 3-2 on the first power play with his 30th of the season at 11:25, and Seguin scored off a quick wrister 1:20 later to give Dallas a two-goal lead.

Marchment's power-play goal at 17:10 of the second made it 5-2. It was his 21st of the season.

Duhaime got Colorado within two goals when he scored his first as with the Avalanche and fifth overall at 19:15 of the second.

Drouin got Colorado within a goal when he scored his 19th of the season at 10:15 of the third, but Johnston scored his 31st at 15:21 to restore the two-goal lead.

Seguin scored his 25th into an empty net at 19:51.

Walker scored 1:59 into the game, his 10th. Duchene tied it with his 25th at 17:11 and Benn made it 2-1 with his 21st at 19:17.

—Field Level Media