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Predators clamp down to end Stars' streak

Mar 2, 2008 - 6:00 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DALLAS (Ticker) -- The Nashville Predators once again have slowed the rolling juggernaut known as the Dallas Stars.

David Legwand, Jordin Tootoo and J.P. Dumont scored and Dan Ellis made 24 saves as the Predators halted the Stars' winning streak at four games with a 3-1 triumph on Saturday.

All-Star Mike Ribeiro tallied for Dallas, which had won six of its previous seven games and 13 of 15.

With the victory, Nashville (33-25-8) remained even in points with Colorado (34-26-6) in the Western Conference playoff race. Idle Vancouver (32-22-10) also has 74 points, as all three trail Calgary (34-23-9) for sixth place.

"To come in here and get a huge win shows we can play with any team in the league," said Ellis, whose team improved to 1-1-0 on its six-game road trip. "We've got a tough stretch coming up, but it's (against) teams we're fighting for position with. The games against Vancouver and Calgary are four-point games. Then we play Detroit. They're all big points."

Dallas (41-23-5) remained three points behind idle Detroit (42-18-6) for the top spot in the conference.

After the Stars piled up 22 goals during their winning stretch, the Predators managed to close the door again. It was Nashville that also ended Dallas' six-game run earlier this season with a 1-0 triumph on December 31.

"You have to give Nashville a great deal of credit, they worked awfully hard," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "I think it's been an emotional week for our guys - some highs, some lows. I had a feeling we would struggle emotionally today, and we hung around the game for a while. It's execution under pressure that you need to be mentally sharp for, and we just didn't have that."

Legwand snapped a scoreless tie in the opening minute of the third period, while Tootoo and Dumont tallied 53 seconds apart midway through the session to provide all the offense Nashville needed.

With the Predators already ahead, 1-0, Tootoo beat goaltender Marty Turco with a quick snap shot from the right faceoff circle at 7:53 of the third.

The Stars responded just 30 seconds later with Ribeiro's team-leading 27th goal of the season, a wrister that found its way between the pads of Ellis.

"Emotionally, we've been through a lot the last wee or so," Ribeiro said, alluding to the fact three players were traded on Tuesday. "It was kind of hard. You could see that the emotion was not really there."

Nashville needed just 23 seconds to get back the goal, as captain Jason Arnott made a cross-crease pass to Dumont, who completed a 2-on-1 rush with a one-timer that sailed over a sliding Turco at 8:46.

"We got a real big goal early in the third period, then right after they got it to 2-1, we responded on the next shift," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "I knew we were going to win the game at that point."

A former Star, Ellis made nine of his saves in the third period for the Predators, who had lost three in a row - including one in a shootout. The netminder also was instrumental in keeping Dallas scoreless on seven power-play opportunities, including a 5-on-3 late in the second period that lasted 43 seconds.

"This is a fun building to play in, having been in this organization for four years," said Ellis, who was a second-round pick of the Stars in 2000. "There's always a little incentive against your old team, but more important was the incentive for our team to win."

Acquired in a blockbuster trade at Tuesday's deadline, Brad Richards was kept off the scoresheet in this one. In his debut with Dallas on Thursday, the 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner recorded a career-high and franchise-record five assists in a 7-4 victory over Chicago.

"The emotion, I think a bit of a letdown tonight compared to the other night," Richards said. "We hope everything works like (it did vs.) Chicago, but let's be honest with ourselves - it's not going to be like that every night.

"It's going to be a process. Whatever they're going to let me do or make me do, I'll do it. I just want to fit in, not disrupt anything."