Power play drives Stars past Flames to extend season-high win streak to five

 

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Game Information

Arena: American Airlines Center Location: Dallas, Texas

Referees: Kerry Fraser, Chris Rooney Linesmen: Darren Gibbs, Brian Mach

Attendance: 16,395 (88.5% full)

Team Stat Comparison
251	Goals	224
246	Goals Against	251
61	Power Play Goals	54
58	Power Play Goals Allowed	70
6	Shorthanded Goals	2
15	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	4
1299	Penalty Minutes	1144
16	Average Penalty Minutes	14

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			CGY	DAL
6:52		Mike Cammalleri (Power Play) Assists: Jarome Iginla, Todd Bertuzzi	1	0
19:16		Jere Lehtinen (Power Play) Assists: Matt Niskanen, Steve Ott	1	1
2ND PERIOD			CGY	DAL
4:21		James Neal (Power Play) Assists: Brad Richards, Mike Ribeiro	1	2
3RD PERIOD			CGY	DAL
16:44		Brad Richards Assists: James Neal, Loui Eriksson	1	3

DALLAS -- Marty Turco's solid goaltending and an improved power play are pushing the Dallas Stars up the Western Conference standings.

Fast Facts

• Dallas has won two straight against Calgary and is 6-1-1 in its last eight games vs. the Flames.

• Calgary is now 1-6-1 in the second game of back-to-back games this season.

• Michael Cammalleri has nine goals in his last six games.

• Brad Richards has 23 points in his last 20 games (seven goals, 16 assists).

-- ESPN research

Turco stopped 24 shots, Jere Lehtinen and rookie James Neal scored power-play goals, and the Stars stretched their season-long winning streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Brad Richards added an insurance goal late in the third period for the Stars, who are 9-1-1 in their past 11 home games.

"We've come together the last month," Richards said. "It took some time for everybody to get together."

Dallas began the night 25th in the league in power-play percentage, but the Stars have five man-advantage goals in their past three games.

"Our special teams have been good, Marty has been excellent and we are doing things that allow us to win," Stars coach Dave Tippett said.

The teams were meeting for the first time since Dec. 2 in Calgary when then-Dallas winger Sean Avery made crude comments to reporters about ex-girlfriends, words that led to Avery's suspension and eventual parting of the ways with the Stars.

Dallas was a 3-1 winner in that game, sparking a 16-7-3 run to move from 15th to sixth in the conference.

Turco has been a catalyst, allowing 12 goals in his past seven games. He improved to 14-6-3 in his career against Calgary.

"It's been a great sight to see, doing whatever it takes to win games, blocking shots, clicking on the power play," Turco said. "We're starting to see what we're capable of and I think I'm coming around."

Michael Cammalleri scored his 13th power-play goal of the season and Miikka Kiprusoff made 29 saves for the Flames, who lost their second straight but are still 14-5-3 in their past 22 games. Calgary was beaten 4-3 at Colorado on Monday night.

LeBrun: Stars Righting Ship

The Stars have overcome a multitude of things this season -- Sean Avery-related and otherwise -- but have fought back into playoff contention, writes ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun. Blog

Flames general manager Darryl Sutter met with his team for about five minutes after the game. The message: play better on the road, where the Flames have lost four of their past five.

Calgary is 11-11-1 on the road, 19-5-3 at home.

"[Sutter] tells it like it is," Flames center Craig Conroy said. "Obviously we're not playing well on the road right now. Enough with the excuses. We have to play better on the road. There are a lot of opportunities to do that. We're giving away points right now."

Neal flipped a rebound of his own shot over a sprawling Kiprusoff at 4:21 of the second period to give Dallas a 2-1 edge.

Dallas had a chance to extend that lead on the power play with about 4:15 remaining when Stephane Robidas' shot from just inside the blue line hit the right post.

But Richards scored off the backhand on a give-and-go with Neal at 16:44 of the third period to give Dallas a two-goal pad.

Cammalleri's power-play rebound at 6:52 of the first period provided the Flames with early momentum. Seconds earlier, Todd Bertuzzi appeared to have knocked a rebound past Turco, but a video review proved inconclusive and Cammalleri was credited with his team-high 26th goal.

Lehtinen's deflection of Matt Niskanen's shot from the point with 43.8 seconds left in the first period tied it at 1.

Game notes
Dallas is 7-1-1 in its past nine home games with Calgary. ... C Wayne Primeau (foot) and D Rhett Warrener (shoulder) were out for the Flames. ... RWs Mark Parrish (flu) and Landon Wilson (ribs) were sidelined for the Stars. ... Dallas began a stretch of 11 of 14 home games.