BOSTON — Viktor Arvidsson recorded a hat trick, including two empty-net goals, Elias Lindholm broke a 2-2 tie with a power-play goal 13 seconds into the third period, and the Boston Bruins helped their playoff push with a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

Marat Khusnutdinov and Henri Jokiharju also scored for the Bruins, who won their fourth straight game. David Pastrnak collected three assists, and Joonas Korpisalo made 13 saves.

Boston maintained its hold on the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card spot and opened an eight-point lead over the first three teams outside the playoffs — Ottawa, Detroit and Philadelphia.

Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal for Dallas, and Jake Oettinger stopped 17 shots. Johnston’s goal was his 41st.

Heading to the playoffs for the fifth straight year after clinching a little over a week ago, the Stars have lost seven of nine as they attempt to get straightened out before pursuing their fourth consecutive trip to the Western Conference final.

At the very end of a power play, Lindholm fired a wrister from the right circle that beat Oettinger inside the far post, making it 3-2.

Jokiharju then scored his first goal as a Bruin, firing a wrister from the slot at 5:51 to give Boston a two-goal edge.

Arvidsson’s two empty-net goals sealed Boston’s 28th home win this season.

Coming off a three-goal, third-period comeback in Columbus on Sunday that capped a solid weekend, the Bruins jumped ahead when Khusnutdinov scored off a rebound midway through the opening period.

Arvidsson knocked in Pastrnak’s pass from the crease to make it 2-0 with 1:09 left in the first, before Benn’s goal 4:49 into the second sliced it to 2-1.

Duchene stole the puck at the side of the net and shoveled it past Korpisalo from the edge of the crease, tying it at 16:53 of the second.

Up Next

Stars: Host Winnipeg on Thursday night

Bruins: At Florida Thursday night, the first of a four-game trip