DALLAS — Joe Pavelski scored the go-ahead goal on a deflection with his back to the net and the playoff-bound Dallas Stars got their 50th win of the season, 3-2 over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.
Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston also had goals while Thomas Harley had two assists for the Stars, who won for the 10th time in 11 games and have a Western Conference-high 109 points with three games to play. They moved within one point of the Rangers for the most in the NHL after New York lost its game.
Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin had goals in the first period for Buffalo, which failed to score on two power plays in the third period.
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 19 shots. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had 22 saves for Buffalo.
The Stars and Sabres both had goals overturned on replay challenges because of high sticks.
Pavelski's 27th goal of the season broke a 2-2 tie in the second period on a shift when he was battling against the boards behind the net to keep possession before skating back in front. After Chris Tanev shot the puck, the 39-year-old Pavelski put his stick on it and then turned to watch it slide just inside the post for the lead. It was his 1,067th career point, fifth-most for U.S.-born players.
Buffalo thought it had gotten even later in the period when Jack Quinn knocked in a puck from the slot after Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin reached up with his stick and lunged forward to keep it in the zone. But the Stars challenged and that tally was also overturned.
Dallas had a goal overturned in the first period when a replay challenge showed that Mason Marchment's stick was just above the crossbar when he deflected a puck into the net.
That had come only 44 seconds after the Stars had pulled even at 1-1 on Robertson's 28th goal on the same night fans were given bobbleheads of the forward.
Dahlin's 20th goal put Buffalo up 2-1 after his shot got under the pads and through Oettinger's legs.
The Stars tied the game at 2-2 when Johnston scored 3 1/2 minutes into the second period. It was an active shift for the 20-year-old, who had a shot blocked by one of his own teammates before scoring with a quick backhanded swipe around Dahlin in the slot.
UP NEXT
Buffalo plays its home finale Thursday night against the Washington Capitals.
The Stars at home again Thursday night against playoff-bound Central Division foe Winnipeg, and former Dallas coach Rick Bowness.
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