BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Wyatt Johnston scored the decisive shootout goal and the Dallas Stars posted their third consecutive 50-win season with a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Justin Hryckowian and Esa Lindell each had a goal and assist, and Mavrik Bourque also scored for the Stars. Dallas finished 50-20-12 in reaching 50 wins for the seventh time in franchise history.
Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots and two of Buffalo’s four shootout opportunities.
Zach Benson had a goal and assist and Josh Norris and Alex Tuch — with his 200th career goal — scored for Buffalo. Colten Ellis made 25 saves, then allowed three goals on Dallas’ four shootout attempts.
Johnston scored by driving in from the left of the net and beating Ellis with a shot inside the far post.
The Sabres squandered two one-goal leads in the second period with Hryckowian tying it at 3 by firing a shot through Ellis’ legs with four minutes left in the frame.
It was a relatively uneventful outing for two non-conference teams having already locked in their playoff seedings.
Having already won the Atlantic Division title, Buffalo (50-23-9) rested numerous starters including captain Rasmus Dahlin and scoring leader Tage Thompson.
For Dallas, the Central Division’s No. 2 seed, center Sam Steel returned after missing nine games because of an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed his third game, with coach Glen Gulutzan hopeful he’ll be ready for the start of the playoffs.
Stars: Host Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs Saturday or Sunday.
Sabres: Host Boston in the first round of the playoffs Saturday or Sunday.
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