Panthers can't contain Alexander Radulov, fall to Stars 4-2

DALLAS (AP) — Alexander Radulov had two goals in the third period to lift the Dallas Stars to a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Coach Jim Montgomery reunited the Stars’ three top scorers on the first line during the first period. In addition to Radulov’s two goals and an assist, Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists and Tyler Seguin assisted on all four goals.

The Stars remained in position for the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot and stayed within two points of third-place St. Louis in the Central Division.

Midway through the third period, Seguin reached up to keep the puck inside the blue line. He then passed to Benn for a 2-on-1 break. Benn passed across to Radulov, who beat Panthers rookie goalie Sam Montembeault with a snap shot to make it 3-2.

Radulov was awarded the empty-net goal, his 24th of the season because a Florida player threw his stick at the puck.

John Klingberg scored on the power play in the second period to give Dallas a 2-1 lead.

Dallas goalie Ben Bishop extended his winning streak to six games, but his franchise-record scoreless streak ended at 2:33:04 at 2:11 of the first period.

Aleksander Barkov deflected Jonathan Huberdeau’s shot from the right-side boards over the goalie and Barkov added a power-play goal that tied the game at 2 late in the second period.

Klingberg had given Dallas a lead for the first time in three games at 10:38. His wrist shot from above the top of the slot beat Montembeault. It was the Stars’ first power-play goal in four games and only the second in the past 19 opportunities.

Barkov made it 2-2 at 16:57 of the second. His wrist shot inside the left post came against a Dallas penalty-killing unit that had been successful in 20 of the previous 21 opportunities.

NOTES

Barkov has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in a seven-game scoring streak. The 23-year-old has career highs of 32 goals, 53 assists and 85 points. … The Panthers’ Jonathan Huberdeau has five points (one goal, four assists) in the past three games. … Stars C Jason Spezza was a healthy scratch for only the second time in his 16-year career. … Tyler Seguin’s four assists increased his season total to 42. He has reached 40 five times in his nine NHL seasons. In the past nine games, he has not scored a goal but has nine assists.