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Barnes, Lehtinen help Stars edge closer to Sharks

Feb 2, 2007 - 8:28 AM SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Jere Lehtinen and the Dallas Stars liked San Jose so much, they felt right at home for a second straight game.

Lehtinen scored a key goal and rookie Krys Barch netted his first career tally as the Stars posted a 4-2 victory over the Sharks.

Rookie Joel Lundqvist had a goal and an assist and Stu Barnes also scored for Dallas, which recorded a 3-2 shootout win here on Tuesday.

"We came in here with the intention of playing well," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "If we're going to get ourselves to the level of the standings that San Jose is, these were very important games for us, so we gained three points on them."

In this one, Barnes gave the Stars a 2-1 lead with 4:44 left in the first period. Lehtinen doubled the advantage during a 5-on-3 power play at 7:32 of the second, helping Dallas climb within three points of San Jose for second place in the top-heavy Pacific Division.

"We're definitely happy with the effort," Barnes said. "We can smile for a couple of hours and then shift gears tomorrow because we're going to have a tough one Saturday vs. St. Louis."

After captain Patrick Marleau scored with 6:42 left in the middle session to cut the Sharks' deficit to 3-2, Barch tallied 2 1/2 minutes into the final period to create breathing room.

"It's nice getting an insurance goal tonight and putting a little distance in the third period in front of San Jose," Barch said. "It's a big two points and gets us within three points behind them."

Playing in his seventh career game, the 26-year-old Barch earned the respect of his teammates in the second period, when he jumped in for Eric Lindros and fought San Jose defenseman Doug Murray.

Marty Turco stopped 18 shots for the Stars, who held the Sharks without a shot on goal for 20 minutes, 16 seconds, a span that bridged the first and second periods.

Evgeni Nabokov yielded two goals on eight shots in the first period before being replaced by Vesa Toskala, who posted identical numbers over the final two sessions.

"You need everybody on the ice working together, and we have not had that the last couple of games," Marleau said. "When you only have a few guys working on the ice, and a couple of other guys doing other things, it doesn't work."

Reigning Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton had two assists for San Jose, which went 0-for-6 on the power play and is just 1-for-32 with the man advantage in its last six games.

"We've got some people who, when we get on the power play right now and it's not working, they are squeezing their stick," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "We're not seeing open people, not being able to get a shot through to the net, simple little things."

San Jose has lost three straight, matching its longest skid of the season.