WASHINGTON -- The Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals both began the game one point away from a playoff spot. Vin Baker Jersey . The Stars? They played like a team determined to get to there for the first time since 2008. The Capitals? They looked like a group tired of having their yearly routines disrupted by such a trivial thing as post-season hockey. It was no contest. The Stars 5-0 win over the Capitals on Tuesday night was a victory of confidence over embarrassment. Dallas has won five of six, outscoring opponents 16-5 over their past three games. "Its a big obstacle," said Ray Whitney, who scored in the second period. "Its been, what, five years now? ... Were no different than anybody else whos been out for a while. We want to get in pretty bad." The victory, at least for a few hours, moved the Stars one point ahead of the Phoenix Coyotes for the final post-season berth in the Western Conference. The Coyotes then moved into a tie with Dallas by picking up a point in a shootout loss to Winnipeg later Tuesday. "Its scoreboard-watching time," Whitney said. The Capitals, meanwhile, were booed heavily in their home rink, particularly after an abysmal stretch in the second period in which they allowed several odd-man rushes, took a slashing penalty and gave up two goals in 34 seconds. "If I was a fan, Id be booing us right now," said goaltender Braden Holtby, who relieved Jaroslav Halak in the second period after Dallas third goal. "A playoff race like were in? To lose 5-0, its awful. Theres no words for it." The Capitals began their run of playoff seasons in 2008. Like Dallas, they started the day as a ninth-place team, but they ended up dropping a spot to 10th. They would lose a tiebreaker against every team contending for the final post-season spots in the Eastern Conference. They have lost four straight and were shut out for the seventh time this season. Alex Ovechkin - the leagues leading goal-scorer - hasnt scored a 5-on-5 goal in more than a month. "If somehow we make the playoffs playing like this, who are we kidding?" coach Adam Oates said. "We have to figure out a way to get better. We have to stick together." Tyler Seguin scored his 33rd goal, Dustin Jeffrey got his first two of the season, and Whitney and Ryan Garbutt also scored for the Stars. Alex Chiasson had three assists, and Kari Lehtonen made 35 saves for his fourth shutout. After over-relying on Seguin and Jamie Benn to carry the scoring load, Dallas suddenly has been getting points from seemingly everyone. "If you look at our top line, I think a lot of teams are focusing on that. Theyre getting the harder matchups," said Jeffrey, who has been back and forth to the minors after being claimed off waivers in November. "We have to be able to score up and down our lineup." Seguin redirected Benns wrister from the left circle in the first period, then there were Capitals miscues aplenty in the second, with the Stars taking advantage. Alex Goligoskis long pass sprang a 2-on-0 break for Whitneys goal. Jeffrey scored shortly afterward, then again in the third. Garbutt capped the scoring with a short-handed goal on a breakaway. "We had a lot of 2-on-1s, and we even had a 2-on-0," Whitney said. "Not often do you see that many scoring chances." Ovechkin last had a 5-on-5 point on Feb. 27, a streak of 16 games. Nicklas Backstrom, who leads the teams in points, is also without a 5-on-5 goal since Feb. 27. Multiple players in the Capitals locker room faulted the teams lack of urgency. "It cant be justified. Its terrible. ... Its like we expect the next guy to make the play," defenceman Karl Alzner said. "Its been kind of off and on like that for a lot of the season, and weve got away with it at times. It clearly hasnt worked the last little bit, and you pay for it in the end." Notes: D Patrik Nemeth made his NHL debut for the Stars as D Aaron Rome sat out with an injury. . Capitals D Patrick Wey sat out after taking an uppercut in a fight that forced him out of Saturdays loss at Nashville. Washington RW Dustin Penner (illness) and D Jack Hillen (upper-body injury) also missed the game. ... Capitals F Chris Brown played after getting called up from the AHL earlier in the day. Sarunas Marciulionis Jersey .com) - The New York Jets have named Mike Maccagnan their new general manager. Oklahoma City Thunder Pro Shop . -- Orleans Darkwa ran in from 1 yard with 1:45 left, and the Miami Dolphins rallied from two scores down in the final minutes to beat the Dallas Cowboys 25-20 on Saturday night. https://www.cheapthunder.com/841h-nick-collison-jersey-thunder.html .com) - Matt Beleskey has helped give the Anaheim Ducks some scoring depth and hell look to stay hot on Wednesday night when his club hosts the struggling Philadelphia Flyers.DETROIT - Petr Mrazek made 27 saves, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 in a preseason game on Monday night.Riley Sheahan had a goal and an assist, and Niick Jensen and Tomas Jurco also scored. Paul George Jersey. .James Reimer stopped 14 shots for Toronto.Jensen and Sheahan each had a power-play goal in the second period. ' ' '