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Ribeiro, Turco come up big for Stars

Jan 17, 2009 - 11:26 PM DALLAS (Ticker) -- Not even the return of defenseman Jack Johnson could help the Los Angeles Kings end their losing streak.

Mike Ribeiro recorded a goal and an assist in regulation before scoring the lone tally in the shootout, lifting the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory over the Kings on Saturday.

Jere Lehtinen also notched a goal and an assist and Marty Turco stopped all three shots he faced in the bonus format. Turco finished with 20 saves for Dallas, which has been taken beyond regulation five times in its last six games - including four shootouts.

"We need everyone, and Marty was huge for us again tonight," Ribeiro said. "I'm happy with the two points, and we're climbing."

The Stars improved to 3-1-2 in their last six games, winning twice in the shootout and once in overtime. They went 2-0-1 on their three-game homestand.

"It's pretty fun, but it would be easier to get the wins in regulation," Lehtinen said. "The other team got a point, so that's not good, but at least it's a win. They play hard, they defend pretty well in their zone, they play five guys down low and it's hard to find spots to score goals."

"Five of six points on this homestand is a good start if we want to start climbing the standings," Stars coach Dave Tippett added. "These were two critical points for us, and I like the way we are playing."

Captain Dustin Brown netted a tally and set up another and Alexander Frolov also scored for Los Angeles, which has lost four straight (0-3-1).

In the shootout, Frolov was denied by Turco, and Ribeiro responded by beating goaltender Erik Ersberg to the left side with a wrist shot.

"I wanted to make sure to at least get a shot on net," Ribeiro said. "Goalies don't really know what I'm going to do, and neither do I. I decided to shoot it."

After Ribeiro's goal, Turco made a glove save on Brown, and Lehtinen's bid to clinch it was turn aside by Ersberg. Turco then sealed the win by stopping Johnson's backhander.

Johnson had missed Los Angeles' previous 41 games with a shoulder injury that required surgery.

The game was scoreless after 40 minutes before each team tallied twice in the third period.

"It was a hard-fought game," Tippett said. "I thought we had the better of the quality scoring chances."

Brown snapped the scoreless tie at 6:45 of the third with his 15th tally of the campaign. However, Lehtinen knotted the contest less than five minutes later, and Ribeiro tallied with 72 seconds remaining to give Dallas the lead.

But the Kings earned a point when Frolov netted his 18th goal with just 17 seconds to go.

With the teams skating four aside, Los Angeles pulled Ersberg for an extra attacker. The move paid off as Frolov received a wraparound pass from behind the net by Anze Kopitar and deposited the puck past Turco from the top of the crease.

"We needed two points, with a half-minute left," Ersberg said. "I'll take (the one). It was pretty nice to get one goal back."

Dallas' Steve Ott and Johnson were called for roughing prior to the game-tying goal.

"That call against him only went on him because it's Steve Ott," Tippett said. "That's a huge advantage. It was 4-on-4, then they pull their goalie and they have a 5-on-4 power play."

"Coming back and tying it, it was a real good play for us," Kings coach Terry Murray said.

Ersberg stopped 32 shots for Los Angeles, which was 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

"He kept us in it," Brown said of Ersberg.