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Stars News & Notes: Looking for a 'W' Friday, March 21, 2008 Mired in a three-game losing streak and with just a 1-6-0 record so far in the month of March there is just one thought going into Saturday's game with the Los Angeles Kings. "The mindset is win," said Stars forward Steve Ott, who returns Saturday after sitting out three games because a league-imposed suspension. "Obviously, I think the most important thing for us is to win," said defenseman Stephane Robidas. "We need to play a full 60 minutes." The Stars' last loss, 2-1 to Anaheim Wednesday, was seen as a step in the right direction. The Stars competed well in the game, but didn't close the deal. The power play failed at key times. The Stars went a sixth straight game without scoring a goal in the third period. They ended up shorthanded in the final minute of the game and gave up the game-winning goal with less than 30 seconds remaining. The hope is to build on the positives of the Anaheim game and improve in certain execution areas. "We need to play that complete game, similar to part of the Anaheim game, but we need to close it out," said Ott. With seven games left in the regular season and the playoffs less than three weeks away, the Stars are hoping to turn things around and get some positive momentum going. "We need to play well and get where we feel good about our game. Playing well for a while and then letting the game slip away, that's not we are looking for," said coach Dave Tippett. "We want to play well and do what it takes to win a hockey game. That will be our focus [Saturday]." The Stars will be taking on a Kings team that is far out of the playoff picture, but Ott said that doesn't matter. They will still be a team that comes in and plays hard. "They are all playing for jobs. There are guys playing for contracts and guys trying to make the lineup for next year," said Ott. "They are not just going to lay back and play easy." And Robidas said that means it will be up to the Stars do get the job done themselves. "Nobody is going to help us. It's up to us to do the job," Robidas said. "We've done it before and we know we can do it, and it's just a matter of doing it." Injury update: Zubov joins team for skate Defenseman Sergei Zubov, dressed in full gear, skated with his teammates for an entire practice Friday. After skating before practice, Zubov decided to join his teammates for the beginning practice and stayed right until the end. "We told him to go out there and do what ever he could do, and certainly don't hurt it," said coach Dave Tippett. "He hasn't been on the ice for a couple months, so he is a little stiff, but all signs are pointing in the right direction." Still, Tippett said it will take a few days to see exactly where Zubov stands as far as a return. Zubov hasn't played since the middle of January and had surgery on a fractured bone in his foot on February 24. "Realistically, I think it will be a couple days before we get a good read on it," Tippett said. "When you haven't skated for two months, whether you are injured or not, it's uncomfortable when you come back and skate. He'll be uncomfortable for a couple of days. I think we'll get a better gauge on where he is the middle of next week." Defenseman Philippe Boucher, who is out with a separated shoulder, was on the ice with his teammates for a second straight day as well. Seeing both Boucher and Zubov out there was a lift for the rest of the players. "It's nice to see those two guys back on the ice," said defenseman Stephane Robidas. "They've been through a lot. It's been hard for them. And even for us it's been hard, not having them in the lineup. Obviously it's a big boost to see them on the ice. I thought they looked pretty good out there." Captain Brenden Morrow, who was out long-term last season with a wrist injury, said that getting back to practicing and hanging around teammates makes a big difference. "I was there last year when you are out a length of time and you are not really around the guys," Morrow said. "It's good to be around and practicing with on the ice and interacting with them off the ice. It's exciting to have those guys around." Practice lines Here were the forward lines used in Friday's practice.
Iowa loses 5-2 The Iowa Stars fell back below .500 on the season, losing 5-2 in Milwaukee Friday night. James Neal and Konstantin Pushkarev scored the goals for Iowa, which is nine points out of the final playoff spot with 11 games remaining. Tobias Stephan stopped 31 of 36 shots. Recently signed prospects Tyler Shelast and Matt Climie both dressed for Iowa. Shelast, a forward, had no points, one shot on goal and a minus-one rating in his pro debut. Climie backed up Stephan and did not play. Quotable "We want to go out and do the things that allow us to win. When you win a game you feel like you are never going to lose again, and when you lose a game you feel like you are never going to win again." Stars coach Dave Tippett
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