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Richards propels Stars past Predators

Feb 9, 2009 - 2:47 AM DALLAS (Ticker) -- Brad Richards recorded a goal and an assist as the Dallas Stars posted a 4-1 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Sunday.

Brian Sutherby and Mark Parrish also scored and Steve Ott added an empty-net goal for Dallas, which improved to 8-2-0 in its last 10 games.

Jere Lehtinen notched two assists and Marty Turco turned aside 25 shots for the Stars.

"They're not all masterpieces, but we'll take the win and the two points," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "That was a game that the team that got the lead was going to have a distinct advantage, and you were going to have to hang on because the team behind was going to have to push from behind."

"Marty was on tonight and that helped us huge," Richards said. "We weren't our best tonight, but we picked it up in the third and we found a way to win. We finished strong, did what we had to do in the third."

Captain Jason Arnott netted his team-leading 20th goal of the season and Dan Ellis finished with 18 saves for Nashville, which saw its four-game winning streak come to an end.

"We felt pretty confident going into the third period with a four-minute kill that we were going to kill that off," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "Our 5-on-4 has been really strong.

"Then a couple of seconds in, (Ellis) throws it over the glass. A 5-on-3 is really tough against these guys like (Mike) Modano and (Mike) Ribeiro and Richards. It was game, set and match right there."

With his team shorthanded, Sutherby opened the scoring 5:07 into the first period after accepting a brilliant backhanded centering feed from Richards. Sutherby then redirected the puck past Ellis for his team's second shorthanded goal of the season.

"If you work hard and go to the net, good things happen," Sutherby said. "I'm starting to settle in a little bit around here and I came in here at a good time. We found a way to gut it out; it's been a long week.

"Tonight, at times, we weren't playing our best but Marty kept us in it and we were able to break through."

Sidelined with the flu since January 27, Parrish doubled the advantage with 4:28 remaining in the session after poking home a loose puck on the doorstep.

Arnott cut the deficit in half against his former team with 5:56 remaining in the second.

Following a giveaway by Dallas defenseman Matt Niskanen in his own zone, Arnott found himself on a 2-on-1 with J.P. Dumont. After exchanging passes, Arnott unleashed a one-timer past a lunging Turco for his 20th goal of the season for fourth goal in as many games.

The Predators could not solve Turco again.

"We definitely had a bunch of chances in the second period, but it was a case of when you run into a hot goalie," All-Star defenseman Shea Weber said.

For his part, Turco is pleased with his play of late.

"In all of our games, there are tight moments and we're just finding ways to win," Turco said. "We'll take the win, that's what we're looking for and what we need to continue to do.

"I need to be playing with poise and confidence and make saves regardless of what happens with rebounds and blocked shots. Trusting my teammates, like a few times tonight to get the backdoor and sweep away rebounds. I don't think anybody in here cares what the reasons are (for the turnaround). We know what we need to do and nothing can change for us to maintain this type of pace and all the guys know that."

Moments after Ellis was called for a delay of game penalty, Richards regained the two-goal advantage with a power-play goal 1:42 into the third period.

"The whole team's been playing better and that spreads throughout the lineup, including special teams," Richards said. "Obviously, it's no coincidence that when the PP's going, you're winning games.

"We got lucky with the puck going out of (play on the Ellis' penalty) and we got to capitalize. It was 2-1, we didn't play a good second, so it was big to get that two-goal lead and settle into the game a bit in the third."

Ott added an empty-net goal with 94 seconds remaining to seal the win.