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Stars surge past Islanders in third

Dec 16, 2011 - 4:55 AM Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Brenden Morrow and Jamie Benn tallied early in the third period as Dallas emerged with a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.

Loui Eriksson added a goal and one assist for the Stars, who won their third straight game and finish their five-game road trip at New Jersey on Thursday.

"I don't remember if we've been blown out this year, but I don't remember a game where we've been able to take our foot off the gas," Morrow said. "They've all been down-to-the-wire, one-or-two-goal games. Still, going into the third we were still pretty comfortable where we were."

Richard Bachman picked up the victory with 25 saves.

Kyle Okposo and Michael Grabner scored for the Islanders, losers of four consecutive tilts.

Kevin Poulin stopped 26 shots in defeat.

Dallas forged a 2-2 deadlock while skating a man up at 1:07 of the third, as Morrow lifted a rolling puck in the crease over Poulin. The visitors then moved ahead by a goal just over three minutes later.

Michael Ryder's lead pass found Benn, who cruised down the right wing flanked by two teammates and managed to sweep a shot in between Poulin's glove and the near post at 4:33.

"Sometimes you just want to do too much and in that case, he caught me low on the glove side," Poulin admitted, "I was expecting a little pass on a 3-on-1. Usually there's a pass. He got me."

Though Poulin was called to the bench for an extra skater with 1:19 to play, the Isles could not find an equalizer.

Eriksson's goal just after a power play expired at the 8:36 mark of the first gave the Stars a 1-0 edge, but Okposo's cross-ice feed caught Grabner's skate at the right post to tie the score with 3:22 left.

New York went up 2-1 with 1:36 remaining in the second as a left-circle shot by Okposo bled through Bachman's pads only to be tapped home from behind the goal line by Okposo himself, who diligently followed the play.

Game Notes

Dallas has won five of the last six meetings since November of 2007...Prior to the game, the Isles placed injury-prone goaltender Rick DiPietro on injured reserve...New York veteran forward Brian Rolston left the game with a concussion after the second period and did not return.