Dallas Stars Top Capitals 4-1, Snap Six-Game Skid

Washington, D.C. (AP) - The Dallas Stars snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night at Capital One Arena, providing a much-needed boost as both teams jockey for playoff positioning in their respective divisions.

Radek Faksa opened the scoring just over three minutes into the first period with a shorthanded goal, capitalizing on his own rebound during a penalty kill against Washington defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin. The Stars, who had been routed 6-3 by the Carolina Hurricanes the previous night, built on that early lead in the second period. Thomas Harley set up Sam Steel for a net-front tap-in, extending Dallas's advantage to 2-0.

The Stars added insurance late in regulation when Wyatt Johnston scored his 24th goal of the season with 6:29 remaining, assisted by Steel. Roope Hintz sealed the win with an empty-net goal 18.6 seconds before the final buzzer. Goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 23 of 24 shots to earn the victory, helping Dallas improve to 26-9-8 and climb back into second place in the Central Division, though they trail the Colorado Avalanche by 10 points.

Washington's lone goal came from Alex Ovechkin, who beat...