| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
DALLAS (AP) -- Kirk Muller joined the Dallas Stars in December and Scott Thornton came aboard in January. At this rate, they might keep playing until late June.
Goals from Muller, Thornton and Brett Hull and a punishing defensive attack carried Dallas to a 3-0 victory over Edmonton Thursday night, putting the defending Stanley Cup champions halfway to a first-round sweep of the Oilers.
|  | | Dallas' Derian Hatcher sends Edmonton's Alexander Selivanov on a free trip to the ice. |
There were more than a few doubts about whether the Stars could return to their high caliber of last postseason, especially after they finished the regular season 0-3-2.
They've quickly shown that even with new players, they can still be effective with their defense-first philosophy and an offense that comes from a variety of sources.
"I don't think anyone in the locker room doubted that we could turn things up a notch when the playoffs began," Stars center Guy Carbonneau said. "I think everyone will be disappointed if we don't go to the end, but there's a long road ahead."
Dallas takes it 2-0 lead to Edmonton for Game 3 Sunday night. The Oilers will be trying to break a nine-game playoff losing streak against the Stars and a 0-9-1 record in their last 10 overall meetings.
"We've got to regroup," winger Georges Laraque said. "We know we can beat that team. We need to get the first goal, get the crowd on our side and get the momentum."
Dallas has scored five goals in two games. Of those scorers, Hull is the only one who was among the team's top five in the regular season.
Instead, the offense has come from guys like fourth-line wing Muller, who was signed off the NHL scrap heap in mid-December, and second-line wing Thornton, who was acquired from Montreal five weeks later.
"We know a strength of our team is depth," said Muller, whose first-period goal was the game-winner. "Hopefully that gets everybody going."
Ed Belfour made just 17 saves -- only one against a power play -- while notching his eighth career playoff shutout. Edmonton has just 12 goals on him in the last 11 playoff meetings.
The Oilers really only tested him in the third period, when they fired 10 shots. Edmonton took seven shots or less in the previous five periods.
"They're doing a good job of covering the lanes," Oilers coach Kevin Lowe said. "You've got to give them a lot of credit."
Dallas captain Derian Hatcher set the tone for the defense with 13 hits in Game 1. He had 10 more this game, with several of them steamrolling Oilers off their skates. That led to frustration that took them out of their game and occasionally led to retaliatory hits that landed them in the penalty box.
"In the first two games, we've learned that the room for error is almost zero," Lowe said. "We made a couple of errors and they've killed us."
Oilers goalie Tommy Salo, who made 30 stops in Game 1, again had to be his own best defense -- and couldn't, even though he again made the Stars earn their goals. He made 19 saves.
Muller finished a perfectly executed 3-on-3 with Hull and Modano by blasting a shot over Salo's left shoulder in the first period, then Hull put in a bouncing puck from the lip of the crease with 2:05 left in the second. Thornton scored from in front of the net on a rebound early in the third period.
Hull's goal unfolded a lot like his last playoff goal, the one that beat Buffalo in triple overtime in Game 6 of the 1999 finals.
On that one, Hull was just inside the crease when he pushed in a rebound past a fallen Dominik Hasek. This time, he was just outside the crease and it was Salo on the ice.
Belfour set a record last postseason by allowing one goal or less allowed in 10 games. He's already done it twice this postseason.
"It's a good sign that we're playing well," he said.
The Stars were again without Jere Lehtinen, their best defensive forward until an ankle injury limited him to 17 games. He's still too sore after testing it Sunday in the regular-season finale. He might play Sunday, when Dallas also hopes to have back defenseman Sergei Zubov from a torn knee ligament.
Edmonton's Ethan Moreau, who missed the third period of Game 1 with a bruised thigh, was back on the ice.
| |
ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Edmonton Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 3
Buffalo 2
Detroit 2
Los Angeles 0
New Jersey 4
Florida 3
Pittsburgh 7
Washington 0
Dallas 3
Edmonton 0
Colorado 6
Phoenix 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 After some great Dallas passing, Kirk Muller finishes with a goal.
avi: 639 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Brett Hull pushes the puck past Tommy Salo.
avi: 497 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
|
