• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Stars beat Avs again, stay alive in playoff hunt

Apr 9, 2011 - 5:32 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Mike Ribeiro registered a goal and an assist, as the Dallas Stars kept their postseason hopes alive with a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center.

Brenden Morrow and Loui Eriksson also scored for the Stars, who swept the home-and-home series. However, after Anaheim's 2-1 win over Los Angeles later Friday, Dallas remained in ninth place in the Western Conference with 95 points. The Ducks and Blackhawks are tied for seventh place with 97 points.

Kari Lehtonen needed to make just 15 saves to notch his 34th win of the season for the Stars, whose season-finale takes place at Minnesota on Sunday.

Brandon Yip supplied both goals for Colorado, which got 25 saves from Peter Budaj.

The Avalanche were dealt their fourth straight loss hours after captain Adam Foote announced that he is retiring at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Ribeiro deflected a Karlis Skrastins pass behind Budaj at 10:51 of the first period. Eriksson converted a feed from Brad Richards to give Dallas a 2-0 lead at 6:56 of the second before Yip netted a short-handed goal at 13:08.

Morrow tapped in a Steve Ott pass 40 seconds into the third period to make it 3-1, then Yip drew Colorado within a goal at the five-minute mark.

The Avalanche pulled Budaj in the late stages, but could not produce an equalizer.

"Once you get behind the eight ball it's tough to come back," Yip said.

Game Notes

Morrow has now scored in four straight games. He also matched his career-high for most goals in a season with 32...Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson missed the game with a head injury...The Avalanche host Edmonton on Sunday.