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Stars-Coyotes Preview

Nov 13, 2009 - 11:24 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Dallas (8-4-6) at Phoenix (10-8-0), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Coyotes have faded since an impressive and improbable start. A visit from the Dallas Stars may be just what they need to get back on track.

The Coyotes have won three in a row versus Dallas, but the visiting Stars will carry the momentum of an impressive road victory into their first meeting of the season Saturday night in Phoenix.

A 9-4-0 October made the Coyotes perhaps the biggest surprise in the NHL, with the hot start injecting some new life into a franchise that is looking for an owner after an offseason that saw it file for bankruptcy and threaten to move.

Coach Wayne Gretzky's resignation nine days before the season began didn't hinder the young team, but lately some defensive struggles have. Phoenix (10-8-0) allowed at least four goals in four of its past five games and lost each time, the latest 4-2 at home to Montreal on Thursday.

"We struggled moving the puck out of our end, we struggled moving the puck through the neutral zone and we didn't generate a whole lot," coach Dave Tippett said. "There were not a lot of shots and not a lot of quality scoring opportunities."

Dallas (8-4-6) averaged 3.54 goals during its first 13 games - third-best in the league - but could only muster two apiece in each game of a 1-2-1 stretch from Oct. 31-Nov. 7.

The Stars trailed 2-0 entering the final 20 minutes at San Jose on Thursday, but James Neal's 10th goal and Mike Modano's first sent it into overtime. Dallas prevailed 3-2 in a shootout for its second win past regulation in eight tries.

"To grind out a win is obviously huge," Marty Turco, 5-0-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average in his last six starts, told the Stars' official Web site. "But the best part in my eyes, as flat as we played, without our needed spunk and energy the first two periods, for us to ... throw everything we had at them and see where things left."

Turco hasn't been nearly that dominant over the past two seasons against the Coyotes, going 3-6-1 with a 2.40 GAA. Phoenix went 9-3-1 in the last 13 matchups with Dallas.

Despite the Stars' recent struggles against the Coyotes, Loui Eriksson has thrived, scoring five goals in the six meetings last season.

Eriksson has also been hot recently, with three goals and two assists in his last four contests.

He is not the only Dallas forward playing well. Neal had seven goals in his last seven games after being held off the board in his previous seven, while Brad Richards recorded three goals and eight assists in his past eight contests before being shut out against San Jose.

While those three along with Brenden Morrow each have at least six goals, only Scottie Upshall has scored that many for the Coyotes. Upshall had goals in three consecutive games before going scoreless against Montreal.

Upshall scored three goals in two games versus Dallas last season while with Philadelphia.