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Coyotes-Stars Preview

Jan 31, 2010 - 7:33 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Phoenix (32-18-5) at Dallas (24-19-11), 6:00 p.m. EDT

Dave Tippett led the Dallas Stars to five straight playoff appearances, but was fired after failing to extend that streak in 2008-09.

The way the Phoenix Coyotes are playing, Tippett could be back in the postseason this spring.

Tippett returns to Dallas for the first time Sunday night when the Coyotes look to close out a strong month with a sixth straight win over their division foes.

The Stars fired Tippett in June despite finishing third in the Pacific Division with a 36-35-11 record. After Wayne Gretzky resigned in September while the team dealt with bankruptcy court issues, the Coyotes - who haven't been to the playoffs since 2002 - turned to Tippett.

Phoenix has since emerged as one of the NHL's biggest surprises. After a sluggish start to January, the Coyotes moved into fourth place in the Western Conference on Saturday with a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers.

The Coyotes have already won twice at home this season over the Stars, and head to American Airlines Center trying to extend their current winning streak to four.

None of the first three wins have been easy,

Shane Doan scored for a third straight game Saturday, helping Phoenix build a 3-0 first period lead, but the Coyotes (32-18-5) had to hold off New York's rally in the third, when the Rangers outshot the them 12-3 and scored twice.

"It was a game where we were in control early and the style that they play tends to make the game look a little bit ragged," said Tippett, who averaged 47 wins with Dallas from 2002-08. "We had some opportunities in the second period but didn't put it away."

Phoenix led 2-0 over Calgary on Thursday before winning in a shootout. That was after the Coyotes scored twice in the final 90 seconds and posted a 5-4 overtime win against Detroit on Tuesday.

Doan has been a big part of the turnaround after Phoenix opened the month with a 1-3-1 record. The longtime Coyotes captain has 17 goals this season, and five in the last seven games.

Ilya Bryzgalov didn't face New York, but could be looking for his sixth straight win over the Stars (24-19-11) and third this season. He has a 1.77 goals-against average over the previous five, and made 33 saves in a 1-0 victory on Feb. 11 in his most recent visit to Dallas.

The Stars, who are looking for their first three-game winning streak this season, recorded a 3-2 victory over Colorado on Friday. Mike Modano scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period, and Alex Auld made 24 saves for his fourth win in five starts.

The all-time leading scorer among US-born players, Modano has just 12 goals this season. But he's had half of those in the last eight games as coach Marc Crawford is trying to give the 39-year-old some extra rest between games.

"I've been feeling much better lately. I've been able to rest up and primarily focus on games," said Modano, who scored his 37th career goal against the Coyotes franchise in a 3-2 loss Nov. 14.

The Stars are 10th in the West, but their recent surge has them within three points of Calgary for the eighth and final spot.

"We want to put a run together and get in a playoff spot," left wing James Neal said. "These points right now are going to mean a lot in the end."