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Stars ride hot line to victory over Predators

Feb 24, 2008 - 6:05 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars already are among the league leaders in goals. Now, they appear to have pieced together a potent trio of forwards to help continue their offensive onslaught.

All-Star Mike Ribeiro, Loui Eriksson and captain Brenden Morrow combined for five goals and five assists as the Pacific Division-leading Stars cruised to a 6-3 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

Antti Miettinen also scored and Mike Smith made 24 saves for Dallas, which has won 11 of its last 13 games.

"We want home-ice advantage through the majority of the playoffs," Morrow said. "Anaheim and San Jose are nipping at our heels. Every game is important to us, and we are trying not to have too many hiccups."

J.P. Dumont and defensemen Ville Koistinen and Ryan Suter tallied for the Predators, who had outscored the Stars, 6-1, in two previous meetings - both victories - this season.

Entering with 190 goals scored, good for fourth in the NHL, the Stars grabbed a 1-0 lead midway through the first period on Miettinen's 13th of the season. But after Koistinen forged a tie during a power play less than two minutes later, the newly formed line of Ribeiro, Eriksson and Morrow took over for the final two periods.

"We were opportunistic around the goal," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "I thought we swarmed the puck pretty well, had people going to the net when the puck was going there, and we found a way to make it go in."

Ribeiro put Dallas ahead for good at 5:59 of the second, when he buried a rebound from the doorstep, and Eriksson made it 3-1 with 2:59 remaining as he tipped defenseman Mattias Norstrom's shot from the top of the left circle past goaltender Dan Ellis.

"Norstrom passed it toward me, and I just deflected it in there," Eriksson said. "I don't think (Ellis) saw it because I was in front there. It was a good goal."

With just four seconds left in the period, Ribeiro capped his two-goal performance by banking a shot off a defender and in, giving the Stars a three-tally bulge.

"I was trying to throw it to Loui, he was coming on the back post," Ribeiro said. "I didn't see it after that. I think it touched the guy in front and went in.

"I have not been playing as well as I would like to be playing. The effort has been average the last few games. It was important for me to play well tonight. I'm here to create offense."

Dumont got Nashville within 4-2 just 1:47 into the third, but Morrow and Eriksson scored 29 seconds apart midway through the period to give Dallas a commanding 6-2 cushion.

Predators coach Barry Trotz believed the two late goals in the second hurt his club.

"We really lost the game in the second period," Trotz said. "I thought the third goal really affected us, and the fourth goal with about four seconds to go was a stinger. Then we came out (in the third) and got a goal. Then they scored on a draw play, where it was game, set, and match from that point on."

After winning a faceoff in the right circle, Ribeiro got the puck to Morrow, who spun around in the slot and beat Ellis at 10:03 for his 26th goal.

"I would have been mad at myself if I had missed that one because Ribs set that play up," Morrow said. "Had I not gotten that shot on net, I would have been upset with myself. It had eyes, I just got lucky."

Before the Predators could regroup, Morrow made a backhand pass from behind the net to Eriksson, who scored from alone in front at 10:32 to provide the Stars with a four-goal advantage.

"It was a good pass from Brenden, and I put it in there," Eriksson said.

"They capitalized on some fortunate bounces," Ellis said. "The pucks were just bouncing in different directions, and some of them found the net. Those quick goals in the third period sunk us a little bit."

Suter capped the scoring at the final buzzer with a power-play goal.

Despite his team's offensive performance, Smith believed the defense was a major reason for the victory.

"Once we settled in, we played some great defensive hockey," he said. "When we play like that, we are not going to lose too often. The D played great in front (of me). They were making the simple play and getting the puck up ice when we were in our own end."