Detroit 4, Dallas 2

 

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Game Information

Arena: Joe Louis Arena Location: Detroit, Michigan

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD
	8:46	Brendan Shanahan 1 Assist: Jason Williams, Robert Lang
	9:21	Jason Arnott 1 Assist: Shawn Belle, Marty Turco
2ND PERIOD
	12:28	Daniel Cleary 1 (shorthanded) Assist: Johan Franzen
	14:31	Antti Miettinen 1 Assist: Niko Kapanen, Stephane Robidas
3RD PERIOD
	5:04	Kris Draper 3 Assist: Kirk Maltby
	12:17	Kris Draper 4 Assist: Daniel Cleary, Kirk Maltby

DETROIT (AP) -- The NHL's new officiating guidelines could give Kris Draper's career another boost.

He scored two third-period goals to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars in an exhibition game on Sunday.

Dan Cleary had a goal and an assist, Brendan Shanahan added a goal and Kirk Maltby finished with two assists for the Red Wings, who won the for third time in five preseason games.

Jason Arnott and Antii Miettinen scored for the Stars.

With the game tied at 2-all, Draper scored 5:05 into the third period and added an insurance goal with 7:43 remaining.

Draper, 34 and entering his 15th NHL season, has long been one of the game's fastest skaters and top defensive centers. He played a key role in Detroit's three Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998 and 2002.

When Sergei Fedorov left the Red Wings as a free agent after the 2002-03 season to sign with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Draper was given more responsibility and ice time the following season. He responded with a career-high 24 goals.

He then played for Canada in the 2004 World Cup and was a key player on a line with Boston star Joe Thornton. But then the 2004-05 season was wiped out by the lockout, and Draper's ascent was stalled.

Now, however, with the emphasis on speed dictated by the NHL's guidelines that prohibit any contact with players without the puck, Draper could have his biggest break of all. That looks like the case so far, because Sunday night's effort gave him four goals and an assist in four exhibition games.

"It's going to be a fun game for guys who like to get out there and skate," Draper said. "So I'm just going to go out there and do what I can."

He said he sees the biggest difference in the neutral zone, where there's more speed, and in the circles and below, where defenders have to let the puck carrier go as soon as he gets rid of it.

First-year Red Wings coach Mike Babcock certainly expects a lot out of Draper this season.

"I expect him to be good," Babcock said. "He had 24 goals the last year he played. ... He's gotten better and better. He may be one of the best athletes in the game.

"He's going to play a lot of minutes, and he's going to play against the league's best players."

Cleary scored a short-handed goal with 7:32 left in the second period to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. Miettinen tied it 2:03 later.

Shanahan scored for Detroit in the first period, and Arnott scored for Dallas.