DALLAS (AP) — Jason Spezza scored three times, including the game-winner with 1 minute remaining, and the Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 on Saturday night to clinch the Central Division title and the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Spezza's second of two goals in the second period was No. 300 for his career. It was his second hat trick of the season and the seventh of his career.
Dallas (50-23-9) will open the playoffs against Minnesota following its first division title since the 2005-06 season. The Stars finished with the most points in the West for the first time since 2002-03.
Coming into the day, Dallas was tied with St. Louis for the Central lead. The Blues lost 5-1 to NHL-leading Washington.
Ryan Ellis and Calle Jarnkrok scored to give Nashville a 2-0 lead at 8:23 of the second period.
Spezza tied it at 2 with goals at 10:46 and 13:05 after missing Thursday's 4-2 victory over Colorado because of an illness.
Antti Niemi made 28 saves for his 25th win. The Predators' Carter Hutton had 21 saves.
Nashville's first-round opponent will be the Pacific Division champion, either Los Angeles or Anaheim.
For the second time in 12 days, Ellis scored the first goal in Dallas. He sent a rising slap shot from the right faceoff circle over Niemi just 19 seconds into the game. Ellis also scored at 6:12 of the first period on March 29, when the Stars rallied to win 5-2.
Ellis' goal was his 10th, a career high for the defenseman.
The Predators outshot Dallas 15-6 and killed two penalties in the first.
The Stars started the second period with six shots in the first 4 1/2 minutes. They also had the first eight shots in the period before Niemi stopped Viktor Arvidsson on a breakaway at 5:05.
Nashville took a 2-0 lead on a power-play goal by Jarnkrok at 8:23.
Spezza scored his 31st goal of the season by splitting two defenders to skate into the right circle and sending a slap shot into the upper left corner.
On the power play at 13:05, Spezza tied it at 2-all. After he skated across the goalmouth, the puck hit him in the chest. He knocked it down to put a wrist shot in from the left of the net.
NOTES: The Stars also welcomed back D Jason Demers, who missed 13 games because of a shoulder injury. . With nothing to gain in the playoff race, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette rested captain Shea Weber, alternate captain Mike Fisher, goalie Pekka Rinne, D Roman Josi and C Mike Ribeiro. Ellis wore an A on his sweater for the game. . Jamie Benn assisted on Dallas' second goal. He has a six-game point streak against the Predators with 11 points (six goals, five assists). . Nashville's James Neal assisted on Jarnkrok's goal to finish the season with a six-game assist streak. . Dallas' 28 home wins led the Western Conference.