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DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Stars are trying to defend their Stanley Cup with the same boring style that won it. The only difference is they now have a few new faces playing it.
Roman Lyashenko, a 20-year-old rookie forward who earned his keep by playing the defense-first system coach Ken Hitchcock demands, swatted in an errant pass with 8:29 left to give Dallas a 2-1 victory over Edmonton in the playoff opener Wednesday night.
|  | | Dallas' Aaron Gavey and Edmonton's Jason Smith got into a first-period shoving match, but no penalties were called. |
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is Thursday night at Dallas.
The Stars wore out the Oilers by outhitting them 68-52 and outshooting them 32-14. It was Dallas' eighth straight playoff victory over Edmonton and 10th in a row at Reunion Arena.
Although the formula is similar to 1999, the roster isn't. Eight players have been added since last year's championship and Lyashenko, who played only 58 regular-season games, is the least-experienced newcomer.
But Hitchcock was confident the native of Murmansk, Russia, understood what was at stake in the playoffs because he'd fought for championships in his native country.
"Going back to the league championship in Russia, he's been a big-game player. That's why I wanted him out there," Hitchcock said. "Lyashenko is a competitor. He's an excellent defensive player whose offensive skills have improved as the season has gone along."
His previous NHL highlight was scoring two goals within 10 seconds Jan. 23 in Chicago. He only had four others in the regular season.
This one was sort of a gift. Edmonton's Tommy Salo made a great stick save and the puck trickled to defenseman Igor Ulanov. He tried clearing it, but instead put it right on Lyashenko's blade. All he had to do was flip it over the sprawled-out Salo.
"My teammates worked hard for that goal," said Lyashenko, who was limited to that one shot in 7:24 over 11 shifts. "I just put my stick on the ice and shot it into the net."
Since the Oilers eliminated the Stars from the 1997 playoffs, Dallas holds an 18-2-1 advantage. The Stars' last eight victories have been by one goal; five of them 2-1, including three this season.
Edmonton will try breaking the spell in Game 2.
"It's been tough for me," said Salo, who fell to 0-5 in the playoffs -- all against Dallas -- despite stopping 30 shots. "Sometime, someday, it's going to turn around. If we get a win, it'll put pressure on them and it'll be a different ballgame."
The Stars held the Oilers without a shot for the first 15:50 of the second period and took the lead on a goal by Mike Keane at the 12:32 mark.
Keane slid the puck between the legs of Jason Smith, who had just turned it over near Edmonton's blue line, then flipped it over Salo's left shoulder.
Dallas appeared to have scored again when Jamie Langenbrunner poked in a rebound of a shot by Brenden Morrow later in the period, but it was waved off because Scott Thornton was caught holding
during Morrow's shot.
"I was happy with the first period, but very unhappy with the second," Oilers coach Kevin Lowe said. "It was a case of no execution and poor puck movement. It was the worst game we've played against Dallas in a long time."
Edmonton tied it seven minutes into the final period when German Titov stole a clearing pass from Darryl Sydor and fired it past Stars goalie Ed Belfour. It was the first playoff goal against Belfour in 123:30, a streak that began with the Cup-clinching triple-overtime victory against Buffalo last year.
"It was a bad read by me, throwing it up the middle," said Sydor, who also shielded Belfour on the shot. "I've got to keep it to the outside and avoid the mental mistakes."
The goal by Titov was his first for the Oilers since being acquired at the trading deadline from Pittsburgh.
The Stars played without two-time Selke Trophy winner Jere Lehtinen. He played just his 17th game of the regular season Sunday, but his sore ankle forced him to be a late scratch. He could play Thursday.
"His ankle is in a position where when he plays we can't tell until two or three days," Hitchcock said. "It would be easier if we could tell the next morning. We just have to see how he is."
Edmonton lost second-line left winger Ethan Moreau in the second period with a deep thigh bruise. He's questionable for Game 2.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Edmonton Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
RECAPS
Dallas 2
Edmonton 1
Toronto 2
Ottawa 0
St. Louis 5
San Jose 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Roman Lyashenko scores the game-winner.
avi: 558 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
German Titov beats Ed Belfour.
avi: 552 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Mike Keane goes top shelf and scores.
avi: 802 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Guy Carbonneau credits Stars goalie Ed Belfour.
wav: 144 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
It's a tough loss for the Oilers' Ryan Smyth, but he's optimistic.
wav: 110 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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