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DALLAS (AP) -- With less than a month left, the Dallas Stars may finally be ready to defend their Stanley Cup.
Mike Modano extended his scoring streak to nine games with two assists Sunday as the Stars won 4-2 over St. Louis, beating the NHL's winningest team just two days after losing to the one of the worst, the New York Islanders.
|  | | St. Louis' Tyson Nash and Dallas' Aaron Gavey had a difference of opinion in the first period. |
"It was an ugly game the other night. We tend to sink into the game of our opponent," Modano said. "St. Louis is the best team in the league, so your level of play rises when you play a team of that caliber."
Modano's assists came on Dallas' first two goals, including Brenden Morrow's score just three minutes into the second period that broke a 1-1 tie and put the Stars ahead to stay. Modano has 16 goals and 19 assists the last 23 games.
Goalie Manny Fernandez, starting his third game for the Stars since Ed Belfour's arrest last week, held on after that. In the previous two games, Fernandez let leads slip away, including a 4-3 overtime loss Friday night to the New York Islanders.
"There was a little concern for the last few games," Fernandez said. "I was a little nervous, but I gave it all I had today."
Belfour is expected to rejoin the team Tuesday at New Jersey. NHL officials evaluated Belfour in accordance with the league's substance abuse policy after he was arrested last Wednesday for aggravated assault on a hotel security guard and resisting arrest.
Stars coach Ken Hitchcock's 200th victory came in his 358th game, making him the fifth-fastest to reach the milestone. All of the wins have been the last four years in Dallas, the latest being the only one during a four-game homestand.
St. Louis, which has a league-best 43 victories, had its 11-game road unbeaten streak snapped. The Blues had won a NHL record 10 straight road games before a 1-1 tie on March 4 at Florida.
"It was a great streak, but it couldn't go on forever," Blues coach Joel Quenneville said. "It's tough because we were playing back-to-back. We played hard, they got some breaks on their goals, on some deflections and some bounces. I don't really think we gave up a whole lot."
St. Louis was also playing without Chris Pronger, one of the league's top defensemen. He was scratched from the lineup because of back spasms.
The Blues were almost able to tie the game, with less than five minutes left, after a mistake by Fernandez. He went behind the net to retrieve a loose puck, but Blues defender Todd Reirden pushed it back toward the goal and off Modano's stick before Fernandez sprawled out for the save.
Kirk Muller iced the game when he scored with just 1:36 left.
St. Louis went on the attack early against Fernandez, with five shots in the first four minutes. The Blues took 13 first-period shots, the only one to get through was Mike Eastwood's at 17:32 that tied it 1-1.
Both teams finished with 21 shots, even though Dallas had just seven in the first period.
Dallas scored first at 10:37 when Jamie Langenbrunner knocked in a puck, deflected by Modano, after Morrow's slap shot from beyond the left circle.
The Blues had a chance to break the tie with a power play in the final minute of the first when Al MacInnis took two hard slap shots from between the circles. The first was stopped by Fernandez, and the second -- less than 10 seconds later -- sailed right of the net.
The Stars went ahead 3-1 at 6:46 of the second when Aaron Gavey scored as his apparent centering pass deflected off a skate and into the net.
Stephane Richer's power-play goal at 15:29 of the second got St. Louis within 3-2.
It was the last regular-season meeting for the division leaders, who split four games. Dallas beat St. Louis in the conference semifinals last season en route to the Stanley Cup.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
Stars goaltender Belfour expected to return to team on Tuesday
RECAPS
Carolina 5
Atlanta 1
Buffalo 4
NY Islanders 2
Nashville 4
Edmonton 3
Dallas 4
St. Louis 2
Chicago 4
Tampa Bay 1
Colorado 3
Philadelphia 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Dallas scores off of Aaron Gavey's skate.
avi: 763 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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