Nov 7, 2009 - 2:04 AM
0 shoutsBy JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
Dallas (7-3-6) at Minnesota (5-10-0), 8:00 p.m. EDT
The Dallas Stars appear to be fine - as long as they don't have to play beyond the regulation 60 minutes.
After snapping a season-high three-game losing streak, the Stars hope to make a run in a positive direction when they visit the struggling Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
Brad Richards and Brenden Morrow each scored in Dallas' 2-1 home win over Vancouver on Friday. The result ended an 0-1-2 stretch for the Stars (7-3-6), who are 6-3 in regulation, but 1-6 in games decided in overtime or a shootout.
"You could just see the desperation in our guys," goalie Marty Turco told the Stars' official Web site. "It was great to see, it really was a total team effort. It was good to close it out."
Richards extended his point streak to seven games with his sixth goal, while Morrow added his seventh and first in seven games. Morrow has four goals and four assists in his last seven games against Minnesota. Richards has five and five assists in nine career games against the Wild.
The Stars will likely expect more of the same from that pair with goal leader James Neal expected to miss a second straight game with a groin injury.
Turco made 32 saves Friday to improve to 5-2-4 with a 2.21 goals-against average this season. While Turco's 13-4-1 with a 2.02 GAA against Minnesota, backup Alex Auld could get the start in this back-to-back scenario.
Auld is 2-1-2 with a 3.73 GAA this season and 5-1-1 with a 1.31 all-time versus the Wild (5-10-0), who have lost five of six to the Stars.
Last in the Western Conference, the Wild fell short in their bid for a third straight victory by losing 5-2 at home to Vancouver on Thursday.
Kyle Brodziak scored twice for Minnesota, which had three shots and only one on three power plays in the first period.
"All you have to do is look at the standings and see there's got to be desperation and urgency with every game we play," said first-year Wild coach Todd Richards, whose team averages 2.1 goals per game.
Brodziak has been one of the few productive performers in the offensive end of late. After spending his previous four seasons with Edmonton, Brodziak has scored three of his four goals in the last two games.
He has two goals and two assists against Dallas, but only one point in his last three versus the Stars.
Despite being pulled for the first time this season after giving up four goals on 17 shots Thursday, All-Star Niklas Backstrom could be back in net for this contest.
"I have to make the saves to keep us in the game," said Backstrom, a 30-game winner the past two seasons who's 5-8-0 with a 2.68 GAA through the first month of play and 3-5-3 with a 2.58 GAA against Dallas.
Backup Josh Harding stopped all four shots he faced in relief of Backstrom, but is 0-2-0 with a 4.73 GAA this season and 0-1-0 with a 5.45 GAA all-time versus the Stars.
It's uncertain if Wild forward Eric Belanger will play after suffering an upper-body injury against Vancouver. Belanger is tied for the team lead with 12 points.
From the Bleachers
-
DALLAS: 2
MINNESOTA: 3
Final
Nov 7 10:36 PM -
DALLAS: 2
MINNESOTA: 3
End of Regulation
Nov 7 10:36 PM -
DALLAS: 2
MINNESOTA: 3
End of 2nd
Nov 7 9:40 PM -
NHL
DALLAS 2
MINNESOTA 3 01:48 LEFT, 2ND PRD
Nov 7 9:37 PM -
NHL
DALLAS 2
MINNESOTA 2 04:09 LEFT, 2ND PRD
Nov 7 9:32 PM -
NHL
DALLAS 1
MINNESOTA 2 16:27 LEFT, 2ND PRD
Nov 7 9:07 PM -
DALLAS: 0
MINNESOTA: 2
End of 1st
Nov 7 8:43 PM -
NHL
DALLAS 0
MINNESOTA 2 02:02 LEFT, 1ST PRD
Nov 7 8:41 PM -
NHL
DALLAS 0
MINNESOTA 1 10:14 LEFT, 1ST PRD
Nov 7 8:26 PM
