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  Tuesday, Nov. 30 7:30pm ET
Hull, Modano strike on power play
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- It is hard-fought games on the road that separate playoff teams from the also-rans. The Dallas Stars taught the New York Islanders just that lesson.

Brett Hull and Mike Modano scored power play goals, and goalie Manny Fernandez stopped 31 shots as the defending Stanley Cup champions edged the Islanders 2-1 Tuesday night.

"Hull and Modano were effective players for us tonight," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. "They had a lot of energy."

It was the Islanders who came out with a lot of energy to start the first period, but by the time the 20-minute session was over, Dallas led in shots (13-12) and on the scoreboard with a 1-0 lead on Hull's ninth goal at 17:36.

Dallas defenseman Sergei Zubov got the puck at the right point and passed across to Modano. His wrist shot was tipped by Hull and bounced past Islanders rookie goalie Roberto Luongo.

"I got the pass from Sergei," Modano said. "I just took a wrist shot, and Brett was able to stick it."

Luongo, who made his second straight start, said Hull's tip crossed him up.

"It was a wrist shot and was ready to hit me in the stomach," Luongo said. "It hit his stick and bounced over my pad."

Hull returned the favor to Modano in the second period at 5:11. Modano, at the center point, passed left to Hull, who quickly sent it back. Modano wound up and fired a one-timer that beat Luongo, who was screened.

New York's only goal came at 12:14 on a lucky ricochet. Defenseman Jamie Heward skated down right wing on a break with Mariusz Czerkawski on the left. Heward intended a cross-ice pass, but the puck hit defenseman Brad Lukowich's skate and skittered between Fernandez's pads.

"I totally meant that as a pass to Mariusz," Heward said. "It would have worked out anyway, because he was wide open."

Dallas used their trap system to hold the Islanders off the rest of the way.

Luongo, called up due to a sprained shoulder to regular backup Wade Flaherty, made 27 saves after stopping 43 shots in a 2-1 win Sunday at Boston. He admitted he was nervous, though for different reasons than his debut.

"Sunday was my first NHL game," Luongo said. "Tonight, there were different challenges. It was my first game at Nassau Coliseum, and it was against the Stanley Cup champions."

The loss was the seventh straight for the Islanders against Dallas since a 5-3 victory on Feb. 4, 1996. It was also the third straight loss at home for New York and leaves them with a 2-6-1 record at Nassau Coliseum. The Islanders have a 4-6-2 road record.

According to Islanders coach Butch Goring, the team played respectably in the loss.

"I have to give our guys a lot of credit for the way we played," Goring said. "If you ask Dallas, I'm sure Hitch is very happy to escape with two points."

 


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 Heward goes in for the wrap-around shot.
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