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Lehtonen backstops Stars to win over Ducks

Nov 17, 2010 - 8:13 AM Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Brad Richards scored the game-winning goal in the third period while Kari Lehtonen was solid with 26 saves, as the Dallas Stars halted a three-game skid with a 2-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

Steve Ott also scored for the Stars, who returned to Dallas following their winless road trip and captured their fourth consecutive victory on home ice.

"This was very important," Richards said. "That was three in a row. It's tough in this league, you start losing like that on the road like that, it's tough. But we stuck together, got home and got our feet under us and that's kind of what we did. As quick as you lose ground, you can make it back up with a few wins and that's our goal on this homestand."

Corey Perry tallied the lone goal for Anaheim, which failed to earn at least one point for the first time in the month of November. The Ducks last regulation loss prior to Tuesday was on October 30 in San Jose.

Jonas Hiller allowed two goals on 26 shots in the losing effort. Anaheim is now 6-1-1 in its last eight games overall.

Richards' blazing wrister with 11:36 to play in regulation gave the Stars the lead for good. Skating down the left-wing side, Richards, from the circle, fired a shot which hit the post, then hit off of Hiller's back, then bounced off the post again before it barely trickled over the goal line.

The play was originally not ruled as a goal on the ice, but the video review was performed and after a brief delay, Dallas officially held a 2-1 lead. Richards' eighth goal was assisted by Loui Eriksson and James Neal.

In the final minute, Hiller was pulled for the extra attacker. Teemu Selanne was open near the right post with Lehtonen out of position, but failed to gain control of the puck before the Stars used one final clear to seal the victory.

The only goal of the first period gave the Stars a 1-0 lead. With Dallas skating on the power play due to a tripping minor on Paul Mara, Richards sent a lead pass from the neutral zone that found the stick of Ott, who hustled in on a partial breakaway and lit the lamp from in close near the top of the crease at 14:43.

Perry's ninth goal of the season -- a power-play marker -- knotted the contest at 8:29 of the middle stanza. After several rebound attempts during an Anaheim flurry, Perry ripped the disc into the back of the cage from the slot near the inner rim of the right circle.

Game Notes

Anaheim still leads the season series, 2-1...Dallas improved to 6-3-0 at home this season...The Ducks, who will conclude their three-game road trip on Wednesday in Minnesota, fell to 3-7-1 on the road...The Stars ended 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Ducks were 1-for-6 with the extra skater.