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Turco closes in on another goaltending milestone for Stars

Oct 27, 2006 - 2:04 PM Detroit (4-4-1) at Dallas (8-1-0) 8:30 pm EDT

DALLAS (Ticker) - Goaltender Marty Turco's stellar play is one major reason the Dallas Stars are off to their best nine-game start in franchise history.

Turco has an opportunity to move into a second-place tie for most victories in franchise history when the Stars attempt to record their fourth consecutive victory Friday against the Detroit Red Wings.

Dallas opened the campaign with five consecutive triumphs before suffering its lone defeat, a 2-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks on October 17. Since then, the Stars have beaten Chicago, Phoenix and Vancouver to remain tied with the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division.

In his sixth season with Dallas, the 31-year-old Turco has collected 144 victories, leaving him one shy of Cesare Maniago, who played with the franchise from 1967-1976, when it was based in Minnesota. Ed Belfour is the team's all-time leader with 160.

Turco improved his record to 7-1-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average this season by making 33 saves to lead the Stars in Monday's 2-1 victory over the Canucks. Mike Modano scored his fifth goal of the campaign and 490th of his career.

Detroit lost the final three contests of a four-game Western road trip before returning home to post 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.

The Red Wings managed to avoid their longest regulation losing streak in eight years by getting third-period goals from Mathieu Schneider and Robert Lang to avenge a loss in San Jose on October 19.

The teams split their four matchups last season, with Detroit taking the most recent showdown, 3-2, on April 17.