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Stars stay hot, hand Caps first loss at home

Nov 9, 2011 - 4:16 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Michael Ryder scored twice, while Jamie Benn added a goal and two assists to lead the Dallas Stars past the Washington Capitals, 5-2.

Adam Burish and Eric Nystrom notched the other goals for the Stars, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 30-of-32 shots for the win.

"Tonight we liked our game and I think it just gives us confidence moving forward," Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said.

Alexander Semin and John Carlson netted goals for the Capitals, and Michal Neuvirth made 31 saves in the Capitals first loss at Verizon Center this season.

Dallas struck first when Trevor Daley's high wrister from the left point was deflected by Ryder right through the legs of Neuvirth midway through the opening period.

But Washington answered with a goal five minutes later thanks to a Brenden Morrow hooking penalty. Nicklas Backstrom backhanded a no-look pass from the right corner to the right circle and Semin's one-timer fired into the far side of the net with 4:17 left in the opening period.

The Stars quickly took their lead back, though, when Ryder received a cross- ice pass on the left side of the net and deked around Neuvirth before sliding the puck into the vacated net for a 2-1 lead at the first break.

The Capitals knotted the game again late in the second after Marcus Johansson won a faceoff in the offensive zone. The puck squirted left to Cody Eakin, who quickly sent a pass back to the right point and Carlson's one-timer deflected off Lehtonen's right pad and into the twine.

But the Stars took the lead back less than 30 seconds into the third period. Dallas won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Morrow fed a pass to a wide- open Burish in front of the net. Burish switched the puck from his forehand to his backhand and slipped the puck past the sprawled goaltender.

Dallas then put the game away with two goals within a 32-second span. While on a power play, Benn collected a big rebound in front of the net and fired a shot home, and Nystrom's wrister sailed into the top-right corner of the net after collecting a long pass and racing into the Washington zone with 11:55 left in regulation.

"Obviously when you give up five goals you're not doing something right," Capitals defenseman Dennis Wideman said. "We're turning pucks over, missing assignments and we're just not sharp enough."

Game Notes

Benn extended his point streak to six games...It was Washington defenseman John Erskine's 400th game...Capitals defenseman Mike Green missed his sixth straight game with a swollen right ankle...Stars forward Steve Ott missed his third consecutive game with a hip injury...Washington fell to 6-1-0 at home...Dallas improved to 5-2-0 as the visitors this year...The Stars are 4-1 with a tie in their last six trips to D.C.