Flames squander lead as Pavelski's 2-goal effort carries Stars to victory, series lead

Joe Pavelski scored twice, including the game-winner, for the Dallas Stars in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames to take a 2-1 lead in their playoff series.

Radek Faska also scored and Roope Hintz added an empty-net goal for the Stars. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 39 saves for the win in front of a sellout of 18,532 at American Airlines Center.

Trevor Lewis and Elias Lindholm replied for the Flames with Jacob Markstrom turning away 28 of 31 shots in Calgary's net.

If necessary, Game 6 is Friday back in Dallas and a Game 7 would be Sunday in Calgary.

The Flames opened the conference quarter-final with a 1-0 win before falling 2-0 to the Stars at the Saddledome.

WATCH | Pavelski sparks Stars' comeback win over Flames:

When a best-of-seven series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 holds an all-time series record of 228-110 (.675), according to NHL statisticians.

The Flames (50-21-11) topped the Pacific Division and the Stars (46-30-6) earned the Western Conference's first wild-card berth.

Pavelski scored his second of the game and the first power-play goal of the series for the Stars — after going 0-for-11 — at 10:05 of the third period for a 3-2 Stars lead.

Oettinger denied Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau on a breakaway with less than four minutes remaining in the game.

Markstrom went to Calgary's bench with 1:40 to go for an extra Flames attacker, but Calgary didn't produce the equalizer.

Dallas trailing by a goal, Pavelski pulled the hosts even 2-2 at 11:41 of the second period.

After Markstrom's sprawling glove save on Stars defenceman Miro Heiskanen, Pavelski shovelled a rebound on a subsequent Heiskanen shot by Markstrom caught at his right post.

Pavelski's goals were his first of the post-season at American Airlines Arena since he was signed by Dallas in 2019.