Stars Shut Out Rangers 2-0, Lock Up No. 2 Seed in Central

The Dallas Stars blanked the New York Rangers 2-0 on Saturday night at American Airlines Center to clinch the second seed in the Central Division and home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Jason Robertson tallied two goals while Jake Oettinger turned aside all 22 shots he faced for his fourth shutout of the season.

Dallas controlled the pace of the game from the opening faceoff and made it count late in the third. Robertson broke the scoreless tie at 12:49 while on the power play after getting the rebound of a Matt Duchene shot and finishing with a backhand. Duchene, who added two assists, was instrumental in setting up the play. The Stars’ second goal came with just over a minute left when Robertson capitalized on an empty-net opportunity after two prior attempts failed to find the mark.

Oettinger was sharp in net, making key saves when the Rangers threatened. Igor Shesterkin, who made 17 saves in a losing effort, was unable to match his counterpart’s performance, and the Rangers’ attack struggled to create quality chances. New York went 0-for-3 on the power play while Dallas was perfect in one opportunity.

The Stars (48-20-12) have now won four of their last five games and will host the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs. Minnesota (36-28-6) secured the third wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a late-season push. The Rangers (33-38-9) remain in 12th in the Eastern Conference and will likely face a tougher path in the postseason.

Robertson’s two goals give him 38 on the season and 73 points, making him one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league. Oettinger’s fourth shutout of the year and 2.43 goals-against average highlight his consistency down the stretch.

The Stars will now turn their attention to the playoffs and their first-round matchup with the Wild. Game 1 is set for April 16 at American Airlines Center. New York will look to regroup and close the regular season with a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.