DALLAS _ A playoff-like vibe hovered over the Wild's last few games before an eight-day break in the schedule, and the slim margin of error that accompanies such hockey was there to greet the team when it began playing again.
And while it had no problem delivering under that pressure leading into its layoff, the Wild couldn't keep that momentum going Friday in a 3-1 loss to the Stars in front of 18,124 at American Airlines Center that nixed the team's three-game win streak and demoted it to the top wild-card spot from the third seed in the Central Division _ a spot Dallas seized with the victory.
Center Tyler Seguin broke a 1-1 tie 12 minutes, 18 seconds into the third period on a shot off the rush that squeaked through goalie Devan Dubnyk, a tough blemish on an otherwise solid effort from the netminder.
Dubnyk, who was the team's representative at the NHL All-Star Game last weekend, was steady before the team paused, and he buoyed the team early as the players in front of him worked to rediscover a rhythm.
His 11 saves in the first period kept the Wild even with the Stars, who were playing their second game since their league-mandated break, and he remained locked in to start the second when he stymied a 2-on-0 rush for Dallas.
Soon after that stop, though, the Stars finally solved Dubnyk on a tip by center Andrew Cogliano at 3:12.
Later in the period, the Wild tied it during a four-minute power play.
The advantage, which came after Cogliano caught winger Zach Parise with a high-stick, got off to a rocky start, with the Wild struggling to put shots on net and even icing the puck at one point. But before time expired, the unit converted when a pinching Brad Hunt buried a one-timer past Dallas goalie Ben Bishop at 8:48 _ the defenseman's first goal with the Wild since he was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights Jan.21.
With an assist on the goal, center Eric Staal extended his point streak to a season-high four games _ a run in which he's tallied seven points.
It was also the third time the power play has chipped in during its last two games.
Dallas had a chance to retake the lead on its lone look with the man advantage not long after Hunt's goal, but the penalty kill _ led by Dubnyk _ was strong. He fronted an attempt by winger Alexander Radulov before scooting to the other side of the crease to cut down on Seguin's angle before his shot hit the side of the net.
Dubnyk also punched out his blocker against winger Denis Gurianov and gloved a wind-up by defenseman Miro Heiskanen.
Amid scrambled lines in the third period since the Wild wer playing without winger Pontus Aberg, who was absent after last appearing late in the second, the team had its heaviest push against the Stars and Bishop.
But it wasn't enough to pull ahead, keeping the door open for the Stars _ who cashed in on Seguin's roller. Seguin also added an empty-net goal with 24 seconds to go.
Bishop ended up with 21 saves, while Dubnyk totaled 29 for just his second loss in his last eight road starts. The result also snapped his personal three-game win streak.
