Dallas Stars see a victory vanish in about 2 minutes

Posted Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints
A

Have more to add? News tip? Tell us

By MIKE HEIKA

Special to the Star-Telegram

DALLAS — The Dallas Stars can blame the officials for another overtime loss, but they really have only themselves to blame.

After officials appeared to wrongly whistle Nicklas Grossman for a delay of game in overtime, the Stars found a way to quickly lose to the Calgary Flames, 3-2 in overtime Wednesday. However, the game never should have gotten to overtime, for countless reasons.

Dallas outshot the Flames 40-22, couldn’t convert a 5-on-3 power play and a penalty shot, and still had a 2-1 lead with 10 minutes left in regulation. Daymond Langkow, however, slipped a backhand shot past Marty Turco with 49 seconds left in regulation and the Flames broke a two-game losing streak and walked out with two points in the standings.

Jarome Iginla had two goals, including on the power play at 1:25 of overtime, and the assist to Langkow.

Dallas slips to 6-3-6, good for 18 points in 15 games. Calgary is 8-4-1.

The Flames were blistered in practice on Monday by coach Brent Sutter and had to play backup goalie Curtis McElhinney because of flu-like symptoms for No. 1 netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Stars, however, were the team that appeared to have all of the motivation. With the return of Mike Modano (ribs) and Jere Lehtinen (rib muscle) to the lineup, Dallas was a well-oiled machine.

The Stars put 14 shots on goal in the first period and 16 in the second. They skated hard, controlled the ice, and gained five power plays, including a 5-on-3 for 52 seconds in the second period. Still, McElhinney came up with save after save, and the Stars simply couldn’t find a way to convert goals.

Then, with the Stars already on the power play, Brenden Morrow drew a penalty shot while driving to the net. McElhinney stopped Morrow with a blocker save, and extinguished the remainder of the power play.

Three minutes later, Iginla busted up the right wing and blasted a shot past Turco and just inside the right post. Iginla, a former Stars draft pick traded for Joe Nieuwendyk, has struggled against the Stars in the past, but he was the big hero on this night

But before Iginla could take the spotlight, the Stars appeared to step up and take control of the game.

At the 4:49 mark of the third period, Karlis Skrastins and Trevor Daley moved the puck smoothly to James Neal in the right circle, and Neal whipped a shot just inside the post to tie the score 1-1. It was Neal’s team-leading ninth goal and continued a seven-game point scoring streak for Neal.

Dallas then took the lead off a great passing play by Brad Richards. Skrastins moved the puck forward and Richards then pulled two defenders out of position and fed Loui Eriksson for a tap-in goal in transition at the 8:52 mark.

Iginla worked a puck off the end boards in the final minute with McElhinney pulled and made a nice feed to Langkow with 49 seconds left.It was the seventh overtime game for the Stars, who are 1-6 in those games.

Looking for comments?

Join the discussion

The Star-Telegram is pleased to provide this opportunity for you to share your thoughts and observations about news topics. We enjoy lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity, racist or hate speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising or external links or including remarks that are off topic. To post comments, you must be a registered user of Star-Telegram.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.