Turco, Stars blank Oilers 4-0

Monday, November 07, 2005

The Edmonton Oilers five-game winning streak began in Dallas Friday October 28 and it ended in Dallas Monday night.  Marty Turco stopped 16 shots for his first shutout of the season and Jussi Jokinen, Junior Lessard, Stephane Robidas and Mike Modano scored goals as the Dallas Stars beat the Oilers 4-0 at the American Airlines Center.

The win was the third straight for the Stars, who have also won four out of their last five games. The Stars have also won two-straight at home, outscoring the opposition 13-1.

"We've definitely had a good weekend. Anytime you can string together three wins in four nights, it's a big weekend," Stars forward Stu Barnes said on KTCK-1310 The Ticket after the game. "I think the good news is we've won each of those games in different ways.

"Obviously, a big score against Chicago, a real tight one in Denver, a real good defensive effort tonight, and obviously Marty getting the shutout. It's good. It's got that snowball building, but we've got to keep working."

The Stars dominated the first period, outshooting the Oilers 14-2 and, more significant, outscoring them 2-0.

The Stars first goal came on their third power play of the period. Jason Arnott fired a shot from the point that was deflected by Bill Guerin and then hit Jokinen's skate before going into the net 12:24 into the game.

The Stars made it a 2-0 game at the 17:00 mark when Lessard scored his first NHL goal. Lessard and Modano played give-and-go on a three-on-two rush and Lessard made a nice midair deflection of a Modano shot to put the puck past Oilers goalie Jussi Markkanen.

The Stars outshot the Oilers 8-4 in the second, but Turco had to come up with some big plays to keep the Oilers from cutting into the Dallas lead.

After a Stars turnover early in the second, Turco stopped an Ales Hemsky backhand shot from point blank range.

Later in the period he made a great poke check to deny Jarrett Stoll, who was on a shorthanded breakaway.

The Stars made it a 3-0 game when Robidas scored his first goal of the season. After taking  drop pass just inside the Oilers zone, Robidas skated along the boards, drove the net and beat Markkanen with a backhand shot at 14:44 of the second.

After an Oilers turnover at their own blue line, Robidas and Jere Lehtinen set up Modano, who scored from point blank range 1:48 into the third period. Markkanen was pulled and Michael Morrison took over in net for Edmonton.

Turco stopped a total of ten shots in the third period, including some nice saves on an Edmonton power play chance. The shutout was the 22nd of Turco's career.

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