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Ellis impenetrable as Predators blank Stars

Dec 14, 2008 - 5:54 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars had no solution for Dan Ellis.

Ellis made 27 saves and Joel Ward scored two goals as the Nashville Predators blanked the Stars, 3-0, on Saturday.

A second-round pick of Dallas in 2000, Ellis turned aside 11 shots in the first period and eight in each of the final two sessions in recording his second shutout of the season and eighth career.

"Our defense was outstanding out there in front of me tonight," Ellis said. "They did a great job of allowing me to see pucks and clearing away bodies and made it a pretty easy night for me."

David Legwand netted his sixth tally of the campaign for the Predators, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

"We haven't scored a ton of goals lately, but we have been playing good defense and getting good goaltending, and that has been keeping us in games," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said.

Tobias Stephan stopped 35 shots in his first start since October 31, but Dallas failed yet again to notch consecutive wins for the first time this season. The Stars posted a 3-1 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.

"It was a tough start. I was a little over-aggressive," Stephan said. "After that, it was the right game, but we just couldn't score."

Ward scored the game's first goal 4:27 into the opening period.

At the Stars' blue line, J.P. Dumont sent Ward into the offensive zone with a behind-the-back pass. Ward faked a slap shot from the right faceoff circle and carried the puck below the end line before shifting it to his backhand and sliding it just inside the near goalpost.

"I think I surprised myself there a little bit," Ward said. "I saw (Stephan) out a little bit, so I tried to go around him and found a little hole on the back end."

Ward impressed his coach with the move.

"He had his head up, faked the shot, went around and stuck it back door," Trotz said. "That was a pretty goal."

Legwand added insurance just over seven minutes into the third. The second overall pick in 1998 carried the puck from the right corner to the front of the net, where he was able to force it between Stephan's pads for a 2-0 bulge.

"Their defenseman stayed high, so I just drove to the net and tried to stuff it in," Legwand said. "The scoring has not come too much for us in the past three or four games, and to not give them anything is a positive sign."

Ward sealed the win with an empty-netter, his fifth tally of the season with 86 seconds remaining.

The Stars fell to 1-6-1 in the second game of back-to-back contests this season.

"We didn't have any people who were difference-makers, and that's what we need," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "You take the good stuff from last night and you're looking to make a difference tonight, and we didn't push hard enough to win. It's really disappointing."