Stars fall to Blues in preseason opener

Tuesday, September 23, 2008-11:19:pm
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page                            

The Dallas Stars opened the preseason with a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis in a penalty-filled game at the Scottrade Center Tuesday night.

Loui Eriksson scored a first period power play goal and Sean Avery scored late in the third for the Stars. Joel Lundqvist and Matt Niskanen assisted on Eriksson's goal. Steve Ott and Brad Richards had the helpers on Avery's goal.

Tobias Stephan played the first two periods, stopping 14 of 17 shots. Matt Climie played the final period and stopped all four shots he faced.

The game featured a total of 117 penalty minutes and three fights. Stars forward Krys Barch picked up two fighting majors and Ott had the other.

Avery ended up with 18 penalty minutes,  including a roughing minor and misconduct immediately after scoring a goal with 3:59 left in the game to make it a 3-2 score.

Andy McDonald, Lee Stempniak and Brad Boyes scored for the Blues, who built a 3-1 lead through the first two periods of the game.

Game Notes

• Stars forward Francis Wathier left the game late in the first period and did not return after taking a hard hit from St. Louis' Cam Janssen, who was given a boarding major on the play.
   

• The Stars were 1-7 on the power play and 7-9 on the penalty kill.
   

• Trevor Daley led the Stars with 25:29 of ice time.
   

• Brad Richards was tops among forwards with 21:42.
   

• Joel Lundqvist and Steve Ott led the Stars with four hits each.
   

• Lundqvist and Brad Richards led Dallas with three shots on goal each.
   

• Loui Eriksson led the Stars with three blocked shots.
   

• St. Louis defeated the Stars 4-3 in the rookie game that was played in the afternoon at the Scottrade Center. Aaron Gagnon scored two goals for Dallas and Ivan Vishnevskiy scored the other goal.

Stars lineup

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