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Zubov's shootout goal caps impressive comeback by Stars

Mar 31, 2007 - 6:14 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings were nine minutes away from sweeping their season series against the Dallas Stars. Mike Ribeiro and defenseman Sergei Zubov made the most of the Stars' limited time.

Ribeiro scored a goal and set up another during a furious third-period comeback and Zubov netted the lone tally in the shootout as the Stars rallied for an impressive 4-3 victory over the Red Wings.

With the triumph, Dallas (47-24-6) climbed within four points of idle Anaheim (46-20-12) for first place in the Pacific Division and remained even with San Jose (48-26-4) for fifth in the Western Conference.

After winning the first three meetings of the season between the teams, Detroit appeared on its way to another triumph in this one as Todd Bertuzzi, Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper scored to build a 3-0 lead after two periods.

However, captain Brenden Morrow began Dallas' unlikely surge, netting a power-play goal with 8:59 remaining in the third. Ribeiro, who notched the secondary assist on Morrow's tally, cut the deficit to 3-2 with 3:29 to go, and defenseman Philippe Boucher forged a tie just 47 seconds later.

"We went to get a power-play goal, and from there, we started forechecking better, making them make mistakes," Ribeiro said. "That's what happens. Good forechecking creates chances."

"It's something we can build on," Morrow added. "We were a little disappointed in our effort the first two periods. But lately, when the game (goes on,) we've been getting it done."

Boucher's goal was his 19th of the season, tying the franchise record for a defenseman set in 1983-84 by Brad Maxwell.

Ribeiro nearly ended it with a minute left in the third, but his shot rang off the right goalpost.

After a scoreless overtime in which Detroit outshot Dallas, 8-0,, each team failed to convert in the first round of the shootout. But Zubov, who entered 4-for-10 in the bonus format this season, lifted the puck over goaltender Dominik Hasek after a backhand deke to give the Stars the edge.

Making his first career shootout appearance, rookie Mike Smith stopped Daniel Cleary and Bertuzzi on Detroit's final two chances, sealing the thrilling win.

"I knew what I was doing out there," said Smith, who had shootout experience from his time in the American Hockey League last season. "Hopefully, it was the last (this campaign)."

Smith made 31 saves for Dallas, which has scored 24 goals in the third period over its last 12 games and posted its league-leading sixth win when trailing by two or more after two sessions.

"I think my heart rate went up 50 points after the overtime period ended," Smith joked. "Between the second and third (periods), I just said, 'Let's bear down here and give the team a chance and see what happens, go out there and work on your game and don't give up.' That was a big confidence builder for myself."

"He was very good," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "It was 3-0 and he made some pretty good saves to give us a chance to hang around the game. Fortunately, we got some goals for him."

Smith also earned the praise of his teammates.

"This was a huge game for him, a huge test," Morrow said. "He came up huge and made some big saves on some skilled players in the shootout. He might have had a little bit of help from the post, but he did his job."

Hasek stopped 21 shots for the Red Wings (47-19-12), who fell to 31-1-3 when leading after 40 minutes but moved one point ahead of the idle Nashville Predators (49-22-7) for first place in both the Central Division and Western Conference.

"We made very stupid mistakes and it cost us the game," Hasek said. "Maybe it's better it happened during the season. It will be a big lesson for us."

"It's very disappointing," Draper added. "We can only blame ourselves for that. ... They got momentum and we just couldn't stop it. Giving up a three-goal lead at this time of the year, you're really disappointed."

One day after notching his first points as a Red Wing with a pair of assists against the Predators, Bertuzzi netted his initial goal for Detroit at 7:04 of the first period. Attempting to backhand a pass across the slot from the left faceoff circle, Bertuzzi watched the puck deflect off Zubov in front and past Smith for his second tally of the season.

Hasek preserved the lead when he made a superb glove save on Antti Miettinen's breakaway shot less than three minutes later.

Maltby made it 2-0 just 68 seconds into the middle session, when he fired a shot from the outer edge of the right circle by a screened Smith for his sixth of the campaign. Hasek stopped another breakaway opportunity at 6:29, denying Niklas Hagman, before Draper converted his solo rush with 5:28 left in the period for a three-goal cushion.

Morrow got things started for Dallas 11 minutes into the third, sliding a slow backhander from the slot under Hasek.

"It was pretty close to the (Alex) Ovechkin highlight goal (from last season), wasn't it?" Morrow joked. "Like Tiger (Woods') chip shot, where you could read the logo. But it got things going. We got them on their heels a little bit after that first one."

Just 5 1/2 minutes later, the six-time Vezina Trophy winner stopped a point-blank shot, but the rebound found its way to Ribeiro, who fired it into a vacant net from alone on the right side to get the Stars within 3-2.

"We had it totally in control. Even when they scored their power-play goal, that game was totally in control," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "To tell you the truth, even when they got their second one, it's not like I was concerned or thought we were panicked. We're often in one-goal games."

Shortly thereafter, Hasek elected not to play the puck behind his own net, allowing Jeff Halpern to gain possession below the end line and feed Boucher, who blasted a one-timer past the Czech netminder from the right circle to tie the contest.

"It was a good comeback," Ribeiro said. "We've been making comebacks lately. ... It gives confidence when we come back like that, but even more when you play a top team (like Detroit)."