PITTSBURGH - Two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins were in the midst of an 18-game winless streak and wondering if - not when - they might get another victory.

That skid now seems like ancient history.

Jean-Sebastien Aubin made 45 saves for his sixth career shutout Tuesday and the Penguins, who have the NHL's worst record, surprised the surging Dallas Stars 4-0. Pittsburgh improved to 5-2-1 in the past eight games.

"It's all about our confidence being way up," said Aubin, who broke Joe Daley's 35-year-old Pittsburgh record for saves in a shutout while earning his first blanking since Oct. 12, 2002. "We came out strong, and then in the second period we just kept going."

After former Star Jon Sim staked Pittsburgh to a 1-0 lead at 6:03 of the opening period, Matt Bradley and Aleksey Morozov scored goals 1:03 apart midway though the second.

"Things are just coming together," said veteran center Mike Eastwood, who scored his third goal of the season midway through the third period. "We're catching some breaks, but we're working hard, playing the system better and playing with some confidence.

"You get the feeling that good things are going to happen, you're not thinking of negative things, and that's going right through the team now."

Eastwood is one of the veterans who have provided needed leadership through a difficult season. Already eliminated from the playoffs for the third consecutive season, the Penguins not only endured an 0-17-0-1 stretch that ended with a Feb. 25 overtime win in Phoenix, but also an NHL-record 14-game home losing streak.

"It's really started with us playing hard in all three zones, and we're keeping it simple," said Milan Kraft, who had two assists. "Even during the streak, we had some good games where we were close, but now we're making things happen - like (Aubin) tonight. He made some unbelievable saves."

Dallas' Bill Guerin, who had a deflection bounce off the goalpost early in the third period, acknowledged the Stars took the Penguins for granted. But he was impressed with a Pittsburgh team that has won three consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 13-17, 2003, and Tuesday had its largest margin of victory this season.

"They're hungry," he said. "They're a young team and they're going out there and playing hard every night."

Dallas, 8-0-1 in its previous nine games, missed a chance to move into a first-place tie in the Pacific Division with San Jose. The Stars have lost three of their last four road games.

"Pittsburgh is playing for jobs, playing to be in the league, and tonight is when your best players have to stand up and should be accountable for the (loss)," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "We got behind early and chased them the whole game. It's unacceptable."

Notes:

Defenseman Chris Therien and right wing Valeri Bure, acquired in separate trades Monday, will join the Stars in Philadelphia on Wednesday in preparation for their game Thursday. Therien, recovering from a rotator cuff injury, passed his physical. ... The Penguins reassigned goaltender Andy Chiodo, left wing Matt Murley and defenseman Rob Scuderi to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recalling goaltender Sebastien Caron ... Pittsburgh also completed a paper transaction in which defenseman Brooks Orpik, and forwards Tom Kostopoulos and Konstantin Koltsov were reassigned to the AHL team so they could be included on its playoff roster. The trio was immediately recalled and played against Dallas.