Stars look to move closer to clinching playoff spot vs. Kraken

Mar 26, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Dallas Stars celebrate a goal by Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (21) after scoring three goals during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The Dallas Stars are spending the weekend in Seattle as they will play two games in three days against the Kraken starting Saturday night. The Stars can officially clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Kraken and a St. Louis Blues’ loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

While the Kraken (31-36-6, 68 points) are one regulation loss away from playoff elimination, they have played better of late. Seattle is 5-3-2 in its last 10 and won 6-1 at home over Edmonton on Thursday.

We’re pretty proud of what we’re putting out every night,” coach Dan Bylsma said Friday. “The guys compete and work and are playing for each other, and that bodes well for the future.”

Dallas (47-21-4, 98 points) won Thursday at Calgary 5-2 to extend its winning streak to four games and its points streak to seven (5-0-2).

After the game, Stars coach Pete DeBoer told reporters the team is not focusing on just making the playoffs but earning the best seed possible.

Johnston finally turns 21 for the Stars, who get a chance at home to knock out Avs in 5 games | AP News

“It’s really important,” DeBoer said about earning as many wins as possible in Dallas’ final 10 regular-season contests. “We’re trying to hunt down Winnipeg and stay ahead of Colorado, and then the teams we’re playing are very desperate.”

Currently second in the Central Division, the Stars entered Friday five points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche (45-25-3, 93 points), who have one fewer game remaining on their schedule. Staying ahead of the Avs would guarantee the Stars home-ice advantage in the opening round of next month’s Stanley Cup playoffs, where they would most likely face Colorado. However, the Stars are also just four points behind the division-leading Winnipeg Jets (49-19-4, 102 points) and could catch them to earn home-ice through the Western Conference playoffs and possibly the Stanley Cup Final.

Dallas has been getting contributions from its top skaters during the current winning streak. Forward Jason Robertson has six points in his last four games, including a hat trick at Edmonton on Wednesday. Mikko Rantanen, acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline three weeks ago, has eight points in 10 games since joining the club, including assists in each of the last three games. He also scored a goal in Calgary on March 27. Center Matt Duchene has notched at least a point in six of his last seven games (3 goals, 4 assists).

Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger should make at least one start in the two games in Seattle. He last played in Wednesday’s 4-3 win at Edmonton, where he made a season-high 41 saves in edging the team that beat the Stars in last season’s Western Conference finals. Johnston finally turns 21 for the Stars, who get a chance at home to knock out Avs in 5 games | AP News

Johnston finally turns 21 for the Stars, who get a chance at home to knock out Avs in 5 games | AP News

The Kraken may not be 100 percent healthy for the first game against Dallas. Center Chandler Stephenson missed Thursday’s win over Edmonton and has not played since March 19 due to an upper-body injury. The 30-year-old, who leads the team with 37 assists and is second with 48 points, is considered day-to-day.

Center Jaden Schwartz leads Seattle with 23 goals. He scored two in the win over Edmonton and has lit the lamp at least once in the team’s last three contests after going 10 games without one. Center Jared McCann leads the squad with 51 points and has six points (two goals, four assists) in his last five games, including a goal and a helper Thursday.

NHL roundup: Jason Robertson’s hat trick propels Stars past Oilers

Jason Robertson posted a natural hat trick and Roope Hintz collected three assists to lead the visiting Dallas Stars to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

Wyatt Johnston also scored and Thomas Harley logged two assists for the Stars (46-21-4, 96 points), who have claimed points in six consecutive games (4-0-2) and sit six points behind the first-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division. Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger made 41 saves. His shutout streak ended at 130 minutes, 51 seconds.

Corey Perry and Adam Henrique both collected one goal and one assist and Zach Hyman added a goal for the Oilers, who were without their two top scorers, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, due to injuries. Evan Bouchard collected two assists for Edmonton (41-25-5, 87 points), which sits third in the Pacific Division. 3 Lessons Learned From NHL's First Weekend

3 Lessons Learned From NHL's First Weekend

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner stopped 17 of 21 shots before leaving in the middle of the third period after Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen’s knee hit him in the head during play. Calvin Pickard made three saves in relief.

Canucks 5, Islanders 2

Aatu Raty and Derek Forbort scored to close out the second period, then Teddy Blueger and Kiefer Sherwood added goals in the third as Vancouver tallied four unanswered en route to the win over New York in Elmont, N.Y.

The Canucks trailed 2-1 midway through the second before Raty netted his third goal of the season, sparking a run of three scores in a little over seven minutes for Vancouver. Sherwood also had a first-period goal. With the win, Vancouver moved to within three points of the St. Louis Blues in the hunt for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Casey Cizikas had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, while Tony DeAngelo added a goal. Jean-Gabriel Pageau dished out an assist for New York, which dropped its third straight.

Stars coach Peter DeBoer pushes back at suggestion team was 'lifeless' in latest loss to Oilers | Fox News

Devils 5, Blackhawks 3

Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist, Luke Hughes dished out three helpers, and New Jersey held off Chicago for the road win.

Nathan Mastian, Timo Meier, Ondrej Palat and Stefan Noesen each scored for the Devils, who ended a three-game winless streak. Jesper Bratt had two assists for New Jersey and Jacob Markstrom recorded 21 saves.

Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Mikheyev and Frank Nazar all scored for the Blackhawks. Nazar’s goal at the 17:10 mark cut the Devils’ lead to 4-3 before Noesen added an empty-net tally for New Jersey. Chicago lost its eighth in nine games and own the second-fewest points in the NHL. Inside Dallas Stars rookie Jason Robertson's journey to his 2021 breakout - ESPN