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Tellqvist, Coyotes handcuff Stars

Nov 3, 2007 - 4:43 AM DALLAS (Ticker) -- Mike Modano can't earn a point if the Dallas Stars can't score a goal.

Mikael Tellqvist stopped all 35 shots he faced and five different Phoenix Coyotes scored a goal in their 5-0 victory over the Stars on Friday.

Tellqvist earned his fifth career shutout by stopping 11 shots in the first period, 18 in the second and six in the third. The Swede also denied Modano on a wrist shot from inside the left faceoff circle with nine minutes remaining in the final session.

Unbeknownst to Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky, Tellqvist played with flu-like symptoms and was visibly sick after the game.

"I didn't know that (he was sick)," Gretzky said.

"The flu bug has been going around," teammate Daniel Carcillo said. "(Tellqvist) played so good, he played himself sick."

Modano, who was held without a point for the second straight game, remains one away from tying Phil Housley for the all-time lead among American-born players.

A native of Livonia, Michigan, Modano remains at 1,231 career points. He already owns the American record for goals with 509.

Modano did not speak to the media after the game. "We want him to get it and move on," Stars defenseman Philippe Boucher said. "It's not a team distraction."

For his part, the Canadian-born Carcillo earned two points in 98 seconds.

"Obviously, we knew they were going to come out hard," Carcillo said. "They haven't had a lot of success at home, and we wanted to get some pucks to the net and some bodies to the net."

After gaining possession of the puck toward the left side of the net, Carcillo wheeled around a defender before backhanding the puck to Niko Kapanen. The Finn easily beat out-of-position goaltender Mike Smith to give Phoenix a 1-0 lead with 7:49 remaining in the first period.

Carcillo doubled the Coyotes' advantage shortly thereafter.

Defenseman Nick Boynton fed Carcillo in front of the net, and the determined 22-year-old scored on his second shot from close range to make it 2-0.

"We just want to play a simple game," Carcillo said. "We haven't been successful at home, which has to change. Luckily, we've picked it up on the road."

The tally also ended the evening for Smith, who stopped just seven shots. He was replaced by Marty Turco, who did not fare much better.

Shane Doan gave the Coyotes a 3-0 bulge at 3:34 of the second period. Doan exited the penalty box, accepted a pass from defenseman Derek Morris at center ice and beat Turco with a wrist shot.

Doan preferred to give the credit to Tellqvist and the Coyotes' defense.

"Telly played phenomenal, especially when they got 35 shots. Our (defense) had some big blocks," Doan said. "Our goaltending has been great all season long."

Phoenix's captain also assisted on third-period goals by rookie Martin Hanzal, who tallied just 26 seconds into the session, and Radim Vrbata, who netted a shorthander 11 minutes later.

Turco finished with 14 saves for Dallas, which ended its three-game homestand with one point following a 5-4 overtime loss to Chicago on Wednesday.

"This is rock bottom for us," Stars captain Brenden Morrow said. "This is some of the worst hockey I've seen from this team in a long time."