Dallas Stars stormed back twice in a 6-5 win over Toronto as Mavrik Bourque’s first NHL hat trick fueled another late-season statement before playoffs.

The Dallas Stars showed exactly why they’ve been one of the NHL’s toughest teams to put away this season, erasing multiple deficits Monday night in a wild 6-5 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Center. For a club already locked into the postseason, this was less about standings and more about identity. The Stars fell behind 3-0 early, trailed again by two goals in the third period, and still found a way to walk out with their 49th win and 110th point of the season.

That kind of pushback has defined Dallas all year, and coach Glen Gulutzan saw more of the same. “It was a little crazy, but I liked our team staying at it,” Gulutzan said. “I liked our fight back.”

READ MORE: Lightning Beat Red Wings in OT, Clinch Canadiens Draw

The comeback really started with Mavrik Bourque, who delivered the kind of performance that could matter in a big way once the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. Bourque got Dallas on the board with a strong forecheck play and followed it up with another hard-driving goal later in the second period. By the time Jason Robertson finished off a setup from Matt Duchene to tie the game, the Stars had completely flipped the tone.

Duchene said Dallas is at its best when it attacks instead of hesitating. “I don’t think it’s risk taking. I think it’s execution and playing fast and playing on our toes,” he said. “When we’re not good, we’re trying to be too safe. You don’t want to be making stupid plays, but you’ve got to make something happen. When we do that, we’re a very good team.”

Toronto answered again in the third, pushing ahead 5-3, but Dallas didn’t blink. Wyatt Johnston scored his 27th power-play goal of the season, setting a franchise record and giving him the NHL lead in that category. Moments later, Arttu Hyry pressured the crease and helped force a game-tying own goal.

Then Bourque finished the job.

His third goal of the night, the first hat trick of his career and his 19th goal of the season, capped another determined push from a Dallas team that keeps proving it can win in different ways. “That’s where goals get scored, especially in the playoffs,” Bourque said. “It’s going to be greasy out there, so you have to get inside and get to the net.”

READ MORE: RBC Heritage 2026 Preview: Can Anyone Stop Rory’s Wave?

That message lined up with what Gulutzan wants to see as the postseason nears. “We’ve got to be more direct and we’ve got to go to harder places,” he said. “I thought we did a good job going into those ugly areas.”

With Radek Faksa and Michael Bunting back in the lineup and Dallas continuing to test its depth on defense, the Stars are still sorting through questions. But the biggest takeaway from Monday was simple: this veteran group still doesn’t panic.