NHL: Minnesota 3, Dallas 1

ST. PAUL, Minn., April 8 (UPI) -- Marian Gaborik's three points Tuesday helped the Minnesota Wild keep their shrinking playoff hopes alive in a 3-1 win over Dallas.

Gaborik scored the Wild's first goal and assisted on goals by Owen Nolan and Eric Belanger.

Niklas Backstrom stopped 27 shots in the victory.

Minnesota won for the third time in five games to take over 10th place in the Western Conference. That moved the Wild within one point of Nashville, which lost Tuesday, but they failed to gain ground on St. Louis, which won.

The Stars' only goal came from Fabian Brunnstrom. Matt Climie stopped 32 shots in the loss, which was their ninth in their last 11 games. Dallas is out of post-season contention.