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Stars visit Flyers in battle of first-place clubs

Feb 5, 2011 - 4:25 PM (Sports Network) - While the Stars opted to use their firsts in their most recent trip to the ice, the Flyers bucked their "Broad Street Bullies" reputation and won with a slick offensive goal.

Dallas hopes to avoid a third straight loss, while Philadelphia tries to make it back-to-back wins in the continuation of a homestand this evening at Wells Fargo Center.

The Stars came out with a mean edge on Thursday, engaging in four fights with the hosting Bruins, with three coming in the game's first four seconds. Dallas' Steve Ott fought Gregory Campbell on the opening faceoff, teammate Krys Barch tangled with Shawn Thornton after that and Brian Sutherby battled Boston's Adam McQuaid at the four-second mark.

Adam Burish of Dallas later fought Andrew Ference to round out the fight- filled frame, one in which the Stars trailed 4-0 after.

Karlis Skrastins, Brenden Morrow and Brad Richards would net the game's next three goals by Dallas, but the Bruins potted two straight after that to hand the Stars a 6-3 loss.

"I don't really know what set [the fights] off, maybe just a little chest- thumping just to start it off," Morrow told Dallas' website. "I think you use those things to create momentum, and they could go either way. We just made some bad decisions. We were just as excited as they were, but we were just a little bit more reckless. They deserved that lead they got."

Burish apparently suffered the most in all of the action as he landed on injured reserve Friday with a facial injury. Barch was also injured in his fight, while Ray Sawada suffered a shoulder injury on a shot to the head by Daniel Paille, who was suspended for four games off the hit.

Andrew Raycroft started the game in net, but gave up goals on the first two shots he faced for the quick hook. Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals on 32 shots in relief as Dallas lost for the fourth time in five games following a five-game winning streak.

Despite the setback, the Stars' third straight on the road, the franchise is still five points up on the Sharks and Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division.

On a night when the Flyers honored a former Broad Street Bully in Bobby Clarke, the Flyers captured a 3-2 victory Thursday over the Predators. Ville Leino scored twice in the third period, including the game-winner with 3:14 left in regulation after an exciting 360-degree spin move to avoid a defender.

Jeff Carter had a goal and assisted on both Leino tallies for the Flyers, who have won seven of their last nine overall and kicked off a four-game homestand with their fifth victory in their last six games in Philadelphia. Carter has a pair of three-point efforts in his last four games and has eight goals and five assists in his last 10 contests.

Rookie Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves for a Philadelphia club that is four points back of Vancouver for the most in the NHL and just one ahead of Pittsburgh for first place in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division.

"It's about winning and losing, and as the season starts to push towards the end, if you don't compete at the level at which we did tonight, you'll find yourself in a lopsided hockey game," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette.

It is unknown if Laviolette will give Bobrovsky a fifth start in a row or go with veteran Brian Boucher, who is 5-0-3 with a 2.63 goals-against average in his last eight versus the Stars.

One of those wins came in Dallas last year, when he posted 27 saves in a 3-2 victory on March 18. The Flyers took both of their meetings with the Stars last year, running their series winning streak to three straight. The teams will meet again in Dallas on March 19 of this season.

Ott scored four goals in the two meetings last year while Lehtonen took the loss in the last matchup in March. The former Atlanta netminder is 0-9-1 with a 3.75 GAA in his career versus the Flyers.

Dallas has just one win and six ties in its last 11 at Philadelphia.