Flames 5, Stars 3: Jiri Hudler, defenseman Dennis Wideman and rookie Johnny Gaudreau each recorded a goal and an assist as visiting Calgary tightened its grip on a playoff berth.

Blue-liner Raphael Diaz and Mikael Backlund also scored for the Flames, who increased their lead over Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division to three points. Jonas Hiller turned aside 33 shots as Calgary remained two points behind Vancouver for second in the Pacific.

Jason Spezza scored a goal and set up another while Tyler Seguin and defenseman Jason Demers also tallied for the Stars, who trail Winnipeg by six points for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with five games left on the schedule. Captain Jamie Benn notched two assists and Kari Lehtonen allowed four goals on 19 shots before being replaced by Jhonas Enroth, who stopped all five shots he faced.

Dallas took the lead just 40 seconds into the contest as Spezza beat Hiller high to the glove side from above the right faceoff circle. Wideman forged a tie during a power play midway through the first period with a wrist shot from the high slot before Seguin used the defenseman as a screen and fired the puck inside the right post from the left circle with 34 seconds left for a man-advantage goal and a 2-1 edge.

The Flames gained control in the second period, tallying three times in a 6:49 span. Hudler began the spurt at 9:25 and Gaudreau capped it after Diaz skated down the right side from the point and went around the net before scoring on a wraparound at the left post.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Demers got Dallas within one at 3:44 of the third period with a one-timer from the blue line that deflected off a defender, but Backlund sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final seconds. ... Wideman's goal was his 14th, eclipsing his previous career high set in 2007-08 and matched the following season, both with Boston. ... The Stars lost for just the third time in their last 11 contests. ... Gaudreau's two-point performance gave him 60 on the season, one more than Nashville's Filip Forsberg for the league lead among rookies.