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Coyotes-Stars Preview

Feb 6, 2010 - 6:19 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Phoenix (35-18-5) at Dallas (25-21-11), 6:00 p.m. EDT

After being one of the league's worst teams in 2008-09 and going through a bankruptcy filing and threats of relocation in the offseason, the surging Phoenix Coyotes are no longer sneaking up on anybody - especially the Dallas Stars.

Concluding a four-game trip in the same city where it started, the Coyotes look to win their seventh in a row and beat the Stars for a seventh consecutive time Saturday night in Dallas.

Phoenix (35-18-5) is coming off a 2-1 shootout win over Central Division-leading Chicago on Friday, handing the Blackhawks a rare home loss. Robert Lang and Adrian Aucoin scored in the shootout to give the Coyotes their sixth straight win.

Phoenix is in the midst of its longest winning streak since reeling off seven in a row from Dec. 28, 2006-Jan. 9, 2007, and it's 9-2-0 since Jan. 14. The Coyotes have surged into fourth place in the Western Conference and already have 75 points - just four fewer than they had last season when they finished tied with Los Angeles for 13th.

"We're trying to push this thing as far as we can," coach Dave Tippett said. "There's a push before the (Olympic) break and a push after."

Phoenix opened its road trip with a 4-2 victory over Dallas on Sunday in Tippett's return to Texas. Tippett coached the Stars from 2002 until his firing last June. He was hired in September by the Coyotes and has helped transform the team into surprise contenders.

The Coyotes have won all three games against the Stars this season and six straight against them since a 2-1 overtime loss on Dec. 26, 2008.

A big reason for this success against Dallas has been the play of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who is expected to be net after backup Jason LaBarbera made 28 saves against the Blackhawks.

Bryzgalov has been in goal for each game of the Coyotes' winning streak over the Stars, posting a 1.81 goals-against average and two shutouts. He made 38 saves in Dallas last weekend and followed that performance by stopping 25 shots Tuesday as the Coyotes beat Nashville 1-0 in a 10-round shootout. Bryzgalov has a 1.90 GAA in winning his last four starts.

The Stars (25-21-11) have split their two games since playing Phoenix last weekend, defeating Minnesota 4-2 on Tuesday and losing at Columbus 2-1 on Thursday.

Brad Richards scored the lone goal Thursday for Dallas, which again struggled with the man advantage. The Stars failed to convert on all three power-play opportunities against the Blue Jackets and are 1 for 10 with the man advantage in the last four games.

Getting it on track might not be that easy against the Coyotes, who have killed all 13 penalties in the last five games.

Marty Turco stopped 24 of 25 shots Thursday in making his second consecutive start but hasn't had much luck against Phoenix lately. He has a 4.43 GAA in two starts against the Coyotes this season and is 3-8-1 with a 2.66 GAA and one shutout in 13 games against them since 2007-08.

Alex Auld was in net against Phoenix last weekend and turned aside 27 shots. Auld, who made nine starts for the Coyotes in the 2007-08 season, is 1-2-0 with a 3.29 GAA in four games against his former team.