DALLAS — Pascal Dupuis converted in the fourth round of a shootout and the Pittsburgh Penguins won their fourth straight, 4-3 over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.
Dupuis beat Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen with a wrist shot. Then Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury cut down the angle and forced Dallas’ Michael Ryder to miss the net, ending the game.
James Neal and Chris Kunitz also scored in the shootout for Pittsburgh. Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn countered for Dallas.
The Penguins lost defenseman Kris Letang (upper body) and left winger Steve Sullivan (lower body) to injuries but rallied for two third-period goals to send the game to overtime and the shootout.
“It was back and forth,” Penguins center Jordan Staal said. “It felt a lot like playoff hockey — very tough, lots of hitting.”
Craig Adams and Kunitz scored over a 47-second span of the third period to make it 3-2 Pittsburgh. But Ryder’s 26th goal tied it at 3 at 7:23 of the third.
The Penguins trailed 2-1 when Adams deflected Staal’s shot by Lehtonen at 3:33 for Adams’ fourth of the season.
Kunitz put the Penguins in front with his 18th goal, directing Paul Martin’s setup past Lehtonen at 4:20 of the third.
Despite the loss, the Stars took sole possession of the eighth — and final — playoff berth in the Western Conference.
The Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings are tied for ninth, one point behind Dallas with each team having 18 games remaining.
