• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Third-period outburst helps Stars win laugher over Rangers

Feb 7, 2009 - 6:32 AM DALLAS (Ticker) -- Despite the fact he is battling the flu, nothing could have made All-Star Henrik Lundqvist sicker than watching the New York Rangers' performance on Friday.

Mike Ribeiro scored two goals and set up two others as the Dallas Stars erupted for six goals in the third period en route to a 10-2 trouncing of the Rangers.

Rookie James Neal tallied twice while Steve Ott, Jere Lehtinen and Fabian Brunnstrom each recorded a goal and two assists for the Stars, who went 4-for-9 on the power play in winning for the seventh time in nine games.

"That was really unexpected," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "I like the way our guys were committed to playing a full game and a full 60 minutes. ... Our guys concentrated on the effort, and we got a good one."

Darryl Sydor netted a goal and set up another, fellow defenseman Matt Niskanen collected a career-high three assists and All-Star Mike Modano added two for Dallas, which improved to 10-1-1 in its last 12 home games.

Nikolai Zherdev scored both goals and captain Chris Drury notched two assists for the Rangers, who lost their season-high fourth straight game (0-3-1).

"There's no way to sugarcoat it," Drury said. "It was embarrassing, humiliating, and it was awful."

Stephen Valiquette made 29 saves for New York, which allowed 10 goals for the first time since a 10-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 9, 1993.

"This is a big loss, there's no question about that," Rangers coach Tom Renney said. "But 3-2 or 10-2, a loss is a loss. The one thing we can't do is hide behind a low-scoring game. This time around, we got pounded. You can't be more disappointed than (about) what happened tonight."

Relegated to the bench with the flu, Lundqvist witnessed an abysmal performance by his teammates, especially in the third period. By scoring six times in the session, Dallas recorded its highest total of goals in one period since netting five in the third of an 8-0 triumph over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on March 21, 2001.

With the Stars already ahead, 4-2, Lehtinen began the massacre at 4:15, beating Valiquette high to the glove side from the low slot. Playing for the first time since December 27, Brunnstrom started a run of three goals in 70 seconds by firing a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle past the stick of Valiquette at 10:46.

The 24-year-old Brunnstrom was playing for the first time since December 27 due to a high ankle sprain and the flu. His return was well-received by his teammates.

"He's so skilled, makes good little passes, so it's good to have him back," Neal said.

Ott, who extended his points streak to seven games with an assist in the first period, made it 7-2 just 39 seconds later with a hard wrister from the top of the slot that beat Valiquette high to the glove side.

"It's nice to get a lot of goals, but all in all, we played a solid game," Ott said. "It's nice to see everybody contribute, but our (line's) play was key tonight."

Ribeiro agreed with his linemate.

"I've been saying since I've been playing with them, they've been creating most of the chances," he said of Ott and Lehtinen. "The turnovers, they forecheck so well, they create doubts. ... A lot of chances come off the forecheck, and those two guys are probably the best around right now. They've been helping my game, and we've just been clicking."

Sydor completed the quick spurt with a slap shot from just above the left circle.

"Tonight was all about hard work," Sydor said. "(For) 60 minutes, followed our system and worked hard. Our checkers checked, our scorers scored, our scorers even were hitting."

Entering one goal behind Anaheim's Bobby Ryan for the league lead among rookies, Neal added a pair of power-play tallies later in the session to raise his season total to 18 and conclude the Stars' best offensive output since November 28, 1992, when - as the Minnesota North Stars - they posted a 10-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

"It's a good feeling," the 21-year-old Neal said. "You never want to try to embarrass a team or anything like that, but things were opening up and stuff just happened so fast, putting pucks in the net. But it was a close game early there, and it was a big goal by Ribeiro (late in the second period) to get things rolling."

Whether it was the Stars' goal, the Rangers were thoroughly embarrassed but offered no excuses.

"Embarrassed is a strong word, but that's where we are," New York's Scott Gomez said. "No one's going to feel sorry for us. We've got to pick it up, and we know it. No one's giving up and no one's saying it's rock bottom.

"I feel the worst for Vali. The guy is always there and is a great teammate, and we let him down. It's an embarrassment."

One night after a 3-2 loss at Colorado, Dallas fell behind early in this one as Zherdev banked a shot off goaltender Marty Turco and into the net from the left side at 3:35 of the first period. But while attempting to skate out in front of Valiquette from the left side, Gomez was pounced on by Brian Sutherby, who backhanded the puck into the net 35 seconds later to forge a 1-1 tie.

Ribeiro put the Stars ahead to stay with 5:36 left, jamming in a loose puck in the crease during a power play, and Brad Richards made it 3-1 with 62 seconds remaining, when his attempted pass from the right circle caromed off the skate of New York defenseman Erik Reitz and past Valiquette.

Zherdev capped his second two-goal effort of the campaign at 3:05 of the second, putting another shot off Turco and in during a man advantage for his 15th of the season. But Ribeiro restored Dallas' two-goal bulge when he walked to the net and beat Valiquette to the stick side after Ott forced a turnover by knocking Rangers blue-liner Marc Staal off the puck along the right wing boards.

"Otter goes so hard on those defensemen, most of the time they'll make a play that they don't want to make," Ribeiro said. "On my goal, that's what happened. Otter went to hit him, he made a mistake and we score."

Ribeiro was glad to see the Stars bounce back after Thursday's loss.

"We didn't show up last night," he said. "It looked like a tight game, but we didn't deserve to win. It's good to see that when you have a bad game, you can bounce back the way we did. Everyone chipped in, and it was a team effort."

Turco finished with 20 saves.