Stars down Kings in shootout

Saturday, January 17, 2009-7:11:pm
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page                            

For the ninth time in the last 14 games the Dallas Stars were forced to go beyond regulation in search of two points, and Saturday afternoon they found a way to get it done. Mike Ribeiro scored the lone goal of the shootout and Marty Turco stopped all three shots he faced as the Stars beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 at American Airlines Center.

"I thought it was a hard-fought game. Both teams competed hard," said Stars coach Dave Tippett. "Five of six points in this homestand is a good start if we want to start climbing the standings. These were 2 critical points for us and I like the way we are playing going into next week's trip."

The Stars are 6-3 in those games that have been settled in overtime or a shootout recently, and that's helped push their record on the season to 19-17-7. The Stars, who are 8-3-3 over their last 14 games, are two games over .500 for the first time this season.

"We're in a need-points period, no matter who we're playing," said Turco, who stopped 20 of 22 shots in regulation and overtime. "We just continue to find ways to win."

Turco and Kings goalie Erik Ersberg were both flawless in the first 40 minutes as the teams battled to a scoreless tie through the first two periods.

The Kings finally got on the board 6:25 in the third when Kyle Calder set up Dustin Brown on the rush and the Los Angeles captain whistled a shot past Turco.

But the Stars bounced back at the 11:29 mark when Ribeiro sent a pass to Jere Lehtinen, who fought through a couple Los Angeles defenders and beat Kings goalie Erik Ersberg.

"It's great to see Lehtinen break through after being around it for a while," said Tippett. "He's had some great chances the last few games and he scores working goals, not gimmes."

The Stars seemed on their way to a regulation win when Ribeiro deflected a Darryl Sydor shot past Ersberg with 1:12 remaining in the third period.

But the Kings bounced back to tie it with 17 seconds remaining when Alexander Frolov scored from the side of the crease after the Kings pulled Ersberg and had a five-on-four advantage. Both Stars forward Steve Ott and Kings defenseman Jack Johnson were in the penalty box at the time for roughing.

"That call against him only went on him because it's Steve Ott," Tippett said. "That's a huge advantage. It was 4-on-4, then they pull their goalie and they have a 5-on-4 power play."

After the scoreless overtime, the game went to the shootout. After Frolov lost the puck and misfired on a backhand shot on the Kings first shot, Ribeiro opened for the Stars and beat Ersberg with a wrist shot the stick side. Ribeiro, who had missed on this last couple of shootout attempts by getting a little fancy, simplified it this time.

"I wanted to make sure to at least get a shot on net," Ribeiro said. "Goalies don't really know what I'm going to do, and neither do I. I decided to shoot it."

Turco stopped Brown and Johnson to secure the win for the Stars.

The loss pushed the Kings winless streak to four games (0-3-1), and dropped them four points behind the Stars in the standings. But after getting outscored 12-2 over their last three losses, all in regulation, the Kings were pleased to get a point Saturday afternoon.

"There is such a thing as a good point," Los Angeles coach Terry Murray said. "We were playing with a little less confidence. We were more assertive and more aggressive (Saturday)."

The Stars, on the other hand, would like to start winning some games in regulation but they'll continue to take two points anyway they can get them.

"We should've won in regulation, but the two points are the most important thing," said Ribeiro.