Stars take control with hot top line

Alexander Radulov scored two goals in the second period, and the Stars beat the Predators 5-3 on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., to push the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed to the brink of elimination.

The Stars came into the postseason as the West’s first wild card and are up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series over the two-time defending Central Division champs. Dallas will have a chance Monday night at home in Game 6 to join Colorado and Columbus as the latest lower seed coming through in the opening round.

Jason Dickinson also scored twice, Tyler Seguin had a goal and an assist, and Jamie Benn had three assists. The Stars have scored at least five goals in back-to-back playoff games for the ninth time in franchise history, the first since Games 3 and 4 of the 1991 conference finals when the team was still in Minnesota.

Ben Bishop, named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy during the game, made 30 saves for the win.

The Predators lost back-to-back playoff games for the first time since Games 5 and 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. Rocco Grimaldi, Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris scored for Nashville.

It wasn’t enough with Dallas’ top line in control. Seguin, Benn and Radulov took 16 of the Stars’ 26 shots, and the trio had all three goals in the second.

Oshie out: Capitals forward T.J. Oshie is highly unlikely to play again this postseason, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation. The team has said Oshie is out “indefinitely” with an undisclosed upper-body injury after he was pushed into the boards by Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele in the third period of Thursday’s Game 4.

Oshie was wearing a sling after the game, according to one person who saw him, and as he left the ice hunched over, he appeared to be favoring his right arm and shoulder. Foegele received a twominute minor, and the NHL didn’t consider the hit worthy of supplemental discipline. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said after the game that it was “a dirty play.”