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Lightning-Stars Preview

Nov 28, 2009 - 7:29 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Tampa Bay (10-6-7) at Dallas (11-7-7), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't been very consistent lately, but they are receiving steady contribution from Steven Stamkos.

Stamkos looks to lead the Lightning to a second consecutive victory as they take on the Stars on Saturday night in their first trip to Dallas since 2006.

Tampa Bay (10-6-7) is trying to win back-to-back games for the first time in two weeks. The Lightning are 3-2-2 since that pair of victories, and they beat the New York Rangers 5-1 on Friday for their second win in five games.

Facing former coach John Tortorella, Tampa Bay led 5-0 in the third before Mike Smith gave up a goal with 1:07 remaining.

Stamkos scored his team-leading 16th goal in the first period while Kurtis Foster had two power-play scores for his second and third goals of the season.

"We played our best 60 minutes as a team in a long time," said Martin St. Louis, who had three assists. "I think everybody backed each other whenever it got physical and we played together as a whole in every facet."

Tampa Bay had given up 14 goals over the previous four games, but Smith - making his 12th start - kept the Rangers in check, recording 26 saves. The five goals scored by the Lightning, meanwhile, matched their season high set on three other occasions - most recently against Ottawa on Oct. 29.

For Stamkos, who also had an assist, it was his third consecutive multipoint game. He has 28 points this season, including 11 in the last eight games and three goals in the last five contests.

Saturday is the Lightning's first visit to Dallas since a 6-3 win on Jan. 20, 2006. Marty Turco was pulled in that loss after giving up four goals on seven shots. He could be back in net on Saturday after being taken out of his most recent start as well.

The Stars goaltender was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots in Dallas' 5-2 loss to Phoenix on Friday. He had come in with a 2.30 goals-against average but struggled against the Coyotes, giving up three goals in the second period.

"We all feel like we let him down a little but he got the yank," said Brenden Morrow, who scored a power-play goal in the third period.

Dallas (11-7-7), which is trying to avoid a third straight loss Saturday, failed to convert on its first four power-play opportunities, including three in the first period.

"They capitalized on the chances they got," Stars coach Mark Crawford said. "Our impatience really showed. They got a couple of opportunities because we turned the puck over because of our impatience."

Morrow's goal was his second in as many games and ninth of the season. He missed all but 18 games last season because of a torn ACL and had been struggling recently before recording a point in each of the last three games. He had gone the previous six without one.

Tampa Bay beat Dallas 4-2 at home last season. The Stars also struggled on the power play in that contest, going 1 for 7.