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Stars look to rebiound from big loss

Mar 18, 2007 - 3:01 PM Phoenix (28-40-3) at Dallas (42-25-5) 8:00 pm EDT

DALLAS (Ticker) -- One reason the Dallas Stars have stayed in the Pacific Division race is strong play at home.

Dallas aims for its seventh win in its last nine home games against the lowly Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday.

The Stars have 89 points and trail San Jose (44-25-3) by two points and first-place Anaheim (43-17-12) by nine points in the division race. They had a chance to gain ground but lost, 3-2, to conference-leading Nashville (47-20-6) on Saturday.

Mike Modano scored twice and has 503 career goals, making him the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history. Modano, who has 83 points in 77 career contests against the Coyotes, has five tallies in his last four games.

The game was marred by an ugly incident late in the third period. After Nashville's Jordin Tootoo nailed Modano with what appeared to be a clean check, Dallas' Stephane Robidas took offense and charged at Tootoo, who spun around and punched him in the face.

Robidas lay prone on the ice for 10 minutes before being removed on a stretcher with his head and neck immobilized. Dallas coach Dave Tippett reported that Robidas was awake and had all his functions in the hospital.

The Coyotes have dropped seven of their last eight contests after a 6-3 loss to Colorado on Saturday. Shan Doan scored for the fifth time in his last eight games for Phoenix, which has allowed 11 goals in its last two defeats.