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Stars, Coyotes meet again in the desert

Oct 25, 2011 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Coyotes were able to hold a lead and snap a two-game slide last time out. That is something they weren't able to do in their previous meeting with the Stars.

Phoenix looks to even its season series with division-rival Dallas tonight at Jobing.com Arena.

The Coyotes raced out to a lead on Sunday versus the Ducks, getting a pair of goals from Martin Hanzal in the first period before tallies from Boyd Gordon, Lauri Korpikoski and Keith Yandle during a 3:09 flurry in the middle frame.

Anaheim netted the game's final two goals, including one with 1:08 to play, but the Coyotes were able to hang on.

"Normally you don't give up four goals and call yourself a real sharp defensive team, but we came in wanting to play a good road hockey game and find a way to win a hockey," Phoenix head coach Tippett said. "We got a decent lead, a couple penalties in the third gave them some momentum but we hung on for the win."

Mike Smith made 29 saves for the Coyotes, who dropped a tough 2-1 shootout decision in Dallas back on Oct. 10. The Stars netted the equalizer with 27.1 seconds remaining in regulation.

"That's a game I thought we played pretty well and we gave up the late goal which was disappointing," said Tippett, who coached the Stars for six seasons before joining the Coyotes prior to 2009-10.

"We want to get ourselves on a little run here, we've kind of been up and down here a bit. We want to put a few games together, so they'll be a good opponent for us to do that, a division opponent and we've got to come out and play well."

Each of the last five meetings between these clubs have been decided by one goal, with the Coyotes going 3-1-1 in that span. Dallas has lost six of its last eight in Phoenix.

The Stars have opened up the season with victories in six of their first eight games, but had a five-game win streak snapped on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat to the Kings. Jonathan Quick made 28 saves in his third straight shutout for Los Angeles.

Andrew Raycroft matched Quick for the first 55 minutes before giving up the game's only goal with 4:58 remaining. He ended with 23 saves.

"That was probably our best game," Raycroft said following his second start of the season. "It felt like we were going to win. They got a lucky shot that found a hole. I didn't see the shot at all."

Dallas, which wraps up a four-game swing tonight, outshot Los Angeles 28-24, marking only the second time it has had more shots in a game than its opponent.

Steve Ott had a six-game point streak end (2 goals, 4 assists) in the shutout loss, while Loui Eriksson's five-game run (5 goals, 2 assists) was halted.