Tarasenko singlehandedly prevents Stars from clinching top spot in West
The Dallas Stars can still clinch the top seed in the Western Conference, but Vladimir Tarasenko made absolutely sure it didn't happen Thursday night.
The St. Louis Blues star scored the winner in overtime to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, forcing the Stars to wait until Saturday for another chance to lock up home-ice advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
The Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche earlier in the night, but they needed both a win and a Blackhawks victory in regulation to clinch the No. 1 seed.
Chicago led the Blues 1-0 late in the third period, but Tarasenko delayed Dallas' celebration and set a new career high for goals in a season when he scored the game-tying marker.
The Stars and Blues are tied atop the conference with 107 points, but Dallas has three more regulation-or-overtime wins, which would serve as the tiebreaker if necessary.
It'll be decided Saturday when the Stars face the Nashville Predators and the Blues battle the Washington Capitals.
Tarasenko has 39 goals and 73 points in 79 games.
(Videos courtesy: NHL.com)