Stars 3, Sabres 2: Rookie Alex Chiasson scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period as host Dallas halted Buffalo's season-high three-game winning streak.

Defensemen Jordie Benn and Alex Goligoski netted second-period tallies as the Stars improved to 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Ray Whitney collected a pair of assists and Kari Lehtonen turned aside 21 shots for Dallas, which moved two points ahead of Winnipeg and Vancouver for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Tyler Ennis scored both goals for the Sabres, who were playing their first game since the stunning resignation of director of hockey operations Pat LaFontaine on Saturday. Matt Moulson notched two assists and Jhonas Enroth made 36 saves as Buffalo lost for the first time since returning from the Olympic break.

Ennis drew Buffalo even 3:23 into the third with his second goal - an easy tap-in after Moulson's deflection caromed off the end boards to him at the side of the net. Dallas' relentless pressure finally paid off when captain Jamie Benn's straight-on slap shot during a power play deflected off Chiasson and past Enroth with 9:35 to play.

The Sabres opened the scoring with 2:43 left in the opening period, when Ennis finished off a 2-on-1 rush with Drew Stafford, but Jordie Benn tied it 90 seconds into the middle session by beating Enroth from the left point with brother Jamie setting a screen. Goligoski put the Stars on top with 5.1 seconds left in the period, burying a backhand pass from Shawn Horcoff on the doorstep past a helpless Enroth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Chiasson's go-ahead tally halted a 12-game goalless drought and was just the second power-play goal for the Stars in their last 31 chances. ... Sabres RW Chris Stewart, part of the blockbuster deal that sent G Ryan Miller to St. Louis, registered one shot and was minus-2 in his Buffalo debut. ... Stars D Brenden Dillon returned to the lineup after sitting out Saturday's game with a lower-body injury.