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  Tuesday, Nov. 9 8:00pm ET
Stars let up but hold off Blues
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Jamie McLennan finally looked like a backup instead of the NHL's hottest goaltender.

Jon Sim, Jeff Finley
Dallas' Jon Sim celebrates after scoring his first goal of the game in front of a dejected Jeff Finley, left, of the Blues.

Rookie Jon Sim scored his first two goals as the Dallas Stars chased McLennan and ended the St. Louis Blues' five-game home winning streak with a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.

"He was playing pretty well and we came out flying," Sim said. "We popped a few by him and that's what we wanted to do, come out with a spark and a little bit of jump in our legs.

"He got unlucky, and we got lucky."

McLennan, the backup to former Stars goalie Roman Turek, entered the game 4-0 with a league-leading 1.58 goals-against average. McLennan gave up the game's first four goals on 12 shots and his goals-against had risen to 2.26 when Turek replaced him at 7:12 of the second period.

"If I was him, I would have been really confident against us," said Brett Hull, who got his team-leading seventh goal in the third period. "We couldn't score to save our lives for the most part this year. It was nice that they went in tonight."

McLennan said he'd bounce back when he got his next chance. Coach Joel Quenneville wouldn't say who will get the start Friday against Edmonton.

"I want to say I'm never going to have one of those again," McLennan said. "The bottom line is I didn't get the job done, but you've got to move on."

The Stanley Cup champions, hindered by injuries early in the season, moved above .500 at 8-7-1 despite being outshot 37-16 and getting off only two shots in the third period.

"That's the funny thing about this game," said Joe Nieuwendyk, who had two assists. "You never know from night to night what's going to happen."

Turek, who hadn't played in six days since allowing three goals on 12 shots in 35 minutes at Colorado, made only four saves the rest of the way. The Blues are 7-0 against Canadian teams and 9-6 overall.

Sim, called up Nov. 4 from Michigan of the AHL, entered the game with no points in two games this season and one career point -- a goal -- in nine contests. He scored on the Stars' second shot on a backhander between McLennan's legs at 1:37, and knocked in a rebound shot on the power play to make it 3-0 at 1:41 of the second period.

Darryl Sydor and Chris Murray also scored for the Stars. Hull has five goals in seven games.

This was the first meeting between the teams since the Stars eliminated the Blues in six games in the Western Conference semifinals last spring.

Dallas goalie Ed Belfour had an easier time in the nets despite facing so many shots. Jochen Hecht scored his third goal on a backhander in the second period and Derek King got his first on a slap shot early in the third for the Blues.

"He was able to see most of the shots," Blues left wing Scott Pellerin said. "We weren't getting the second and third shots, the rebounds and screens, but he played a solid game."

 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Dallas Clubhouse

St. Louis Clubhouse


Head to head: Belfour vs. Turek


RECAPS
Washington 2
Tampa Bay 1

New Jersey 2
Philadelphia 1

Anaheim 2
Toronto 0

Dallas 5
St. Louis 2

San Jose 4
Vancouver 4

Edmonton 1
Los Angeles 1

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Jon Sim beats Jamie McLennan with the backhand.
avi: 524 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Mike Modano sets up Chris Murray for the goal.
avi: 515 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

audio
 Brett Hull knows the Stars need to be consistent.
wav: 226 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

 Hull talks about reaching his father's record.
wav: 252 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6