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Stars honor Modano, then rally past Wild

Mar 9, 2014 - 6:08 AM Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Erik Cole scored the winner with 4:49 to play as the Dallas Stars took a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild in a thriller from American Airlines Center.

Tyler Seguin tied the game earlier in the third period and added two assists, while Alex Chiasson and Jamie Benn also scored for the Stars, who have won three of four.

Kari Lehtonen started the game in net for the Stars, but left at 6:37 of the third period after being injured when he was slammed into by the Wild's Erik Haula. Tim Thomas, acquired by Dallas from Florida at the trade deadline, came in relief and stopped all six shots he faced to win his debut with the team.

In a pregame ceremony, Dallas retired the No. 9 jersey worn by Mike Modano, who is the franchise leader in many offensive categories and the all-time leader among U.S.-born players in goals and points. He helped the Stars capture their only Stanley Cup title in 1999.

Haula, Charlie Coyle and Kyle Brodziak all scored for the Wild, who had a five-game winning streak stopped. Darcy Kuemper gave up all four goals on 38 shots.

Minnesota took a 3-2 lead just 1:23 into the third as a cross-ice pass by Dallas was tipped by Nino Niederreiter and Brodziak blasted home the gift from the left point.

Dallas, though, received a five-minute power play as Haula charged into the net and slammed into Lehtonen, who had his mask knocked off and was bleeding from his head.

Lehtonen left the ice and was tended to by medical staff, and Thomas took over between the pipe at 6:37 of the third.

Working with the advantage, Dallas peppered Kuemper with shots, and finally broke through to tie the game as Seguin took a pass at the right circle, charging the net and putting home his own rebound to tie the game with 8:49 to play.

The Stars then went on top as Cole picked off a point-to-point pass and skated the other way on a clear break, burying a wrister into the left corner for his 15th of the year and a 4-3 lead with 4:49 left.

From there, Dallas held Minnesota at bay and survived the final minute and a half after the Wild pulled Kuemper for an extra attacker.

Dallas scored just 31 seconds into the game when Benn wristed home a shot from the right circle, but Minnesota tied the game while shorthanded on a wrister by Haula at the left circle.

It was a 2-1 lead for Dallas at 1:55 of the second period as Chiasson scored a power-play marker with a rebound goal, but the Wild answered with a power-play marker of their own when Coyle jammed in a rebound from in front at 11:15 of the middle stanza.

Game Notes

Bill Masterton (No. 19), Bill Goldsworthy (No. 8) and Neal Broten (No. 7) are the other players to have their numbers retired by the Dallas franchise ... Minnesota hosts St. Louis on Sunday ... Dallas hosts Columbus on Monday ... Each team has won twice in the season series ... Dallas was 2-for-5 on the power play, while Minnesota went 1-for-4 ... Lehtonen made 26 saves before leaving.