The Dallas Stars scored three unanswered goals in the second period Thursday night and held on for a 4-3 win over the visiting New Jersey Devils at American Airlines Center.

Alexander Radulov, Brett Ritchie and Tyler Seguin scored within a 12-minute span for the Stars, whose third win in four games (3-1-0) allowed them to maintain sole possession of the first Western Conference wild-card position.

Ritchie's goal came on a power play created by an interference penalty assessed to Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen, putting Dallas in front 2-1. Seguin extended the lead to 3-1 with a short-handed goal that occurred 1:53 after Stars defenseman Greg Pateryn was whistled for hooking.

After New Jersey's Taylor Hall cut the deficit to 3-2 in the last minute of the second period, Mattias Janmark scored what proved to be the game-winning goal 9:43 into the third for the Stars (23-16-3).

Dallas goalie Ben Bishop recorded 39 saves.

Brian Boyle opened the scoring in the first period for the Devils, who lost their fourth straight (0-2-2) and missed an opportunity to tie the idle Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The four-game losing streak is the second of the season for New Jersey, which went 0-2-2 from Nov. 3-9.

Kyle Palmieri pulled New Jersey within one goal with 4:01 left in the third.

The Devils (22-11-7) peppered Bishop in the waning seconds of the third period but could not score the equalizer. Bishop made a pair of spectacular saves on a tip-in attempt by Palmieri and a put-back attempt by Hall in the final 10 seconds.

New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider made 29 saves.

The Stars earned a split of the season series, as the Devils recorded a 5-2 win in New Jersey on Dec. 15.

The Stars continue a six-game homestand Saturday, when they host the Edmonton Oilers. The Devils are scheduled to conclude a four-game road trip Sunday, when they visit the New York Islanders.

--Field Level Media