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  Friday, Mar. 3 8:30pm ET
Stars erupt for four goals in third
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PHOENIX (AP) -- Another victory for the Dallas Stars in Phoenix, and another third-period collapse for the Coyotes.

Aaron Gavey and Jamie Langenbrunner each had a goal and an assist as Dallas scored four goals in a 10-minute span of the third period Friday night to beat shorthanded Phoenix 4-1.

Jyrki Lumme
Dallas' Aaron Gavey finds some room as he skates away from Phoenix defenseman Jyrki Lumme.
"We were hunkered down so hard defensively that we weren't creating any offense," Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Once we started to create, we started to have fun with the game again."

With the come-from-behind victory, the Stars lengthened their Pacific Division lead to seven points over the second-place Coyotes, who were without four of their top players, including leading scorer Jeremy Roenick.

In the five games the teams have played this season, the home team has never won. Phoenix won twice in Dallas, and the Stars have won three times at America West Arena.

"It's been like that for a while," said Mike Modano, who saw more time on the ice in the third period and had two assists as the Stars went to a double-shift. "I think the last couple of years we've had success in each other's building. Our third period here was good and their third period in Dallas was good."

Bad third periods are becoming a habit for the Coyotes, who are 1-4-1 in their last six games. Six times this season, Phoenix has held a lead going into the third period and has either lost or tied.

Within the last four games, the Coyotes blew a 3-1 lead at Calgary for a 3-3 tie, then allowed four goals in the third in Wednesday night's 7-5 victory over Carolina, followed by Friday night's fold.

In the last 10 games, 18 of the 33 goals Phoenix has allowed were scored in the third period. Dallas outshot Phoenix 19-10 in the third period.

"At the first sign of adversity, we get away from our structure," coach Bob Francis said, "both with and without the puck. ... Maybe it's a confidence thing."

Roenick was out with the flu, Teppo Numminen had a hip flexor and goalie Sean Burke was sidelined with a groin pull. Until Friday, Numminen had the longest current streak of consecutive regular-season games in the NHL at 360. He hadn't missed one since Dec. 15, 1995, when the franchise was in Winnipeg.

Phoenix has been without Keith Tkachuk for nine games with a sprained ankle.

Still, the Coyotes nursed a 1-0 lead after two periods on Mika Alatalo's goal at 4:11 of the second.

But Dallas tied it just 1:25 into the third when Gavey passed to Grant Marshall, who scored from the top of the right circle for his first goal of the season.

"We got that first goal and then we got on a roll," Marshall said. "We looked like the Dallas team we should be."

The Stars took the lead for good 2-1 at 6:36 on Langenbrunner's 10th goal of the season, with assists from Modano and Jamie Pushor.

The onslaught on goalie Bob Essensa, who has been fighting the flu all week, continued with Gavey flipping the puck into the right corner of the net at 9:27 to make it 3-1, his fifth goal of the season.

Brenden Morrow wrapped up the scoring, taking a pass from Langenbrunner, faking to his left, then flipping past Essensa's left glove to put Dallas up 4-1 at 11:07. Langenbrunner had an assist on the play.

Dallas goalie Ed Belfour had 26 saves. Alatalo's goal lined off Belfour's glove after a pass from Shane Doan. The assist gave Doan 100 career points.

Phoenix appeared to have scored again at 13:25 of the second when Belfour blocked Deron Quint's shot but couldn't cover the puck. Phoenix's Dallas Drake punched it into the net but referee Mark Faucette blew the puck dead just before the shot, apparently believing Belfour had covered it.

 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Dallas Clubhouse

Phoenix Clubhouse


Numminen's consecutive-games streak ends


RECAPS
Detroit 2
Washington 2

NY Rangers 4
Florida 2

Chicago 5
Tampa Bay 1

Dallas 4
Phoenix 1

Calgary 4
Anaheim 1

AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Mike Alatalo blasts the shot past Ed Belfour.
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