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Modano tries again when Stars face Coyotes

Nov 2, 2007 - 1:51 PM Phoenix (4-6-0) at Dallas (5-5-2) 8:30 pm EDT

DALLAS (Ticker) - Mike Modano came close to tying Phil Housley on Wednesday. He'll try again when the Dallas Stars host the lowly Phoenix Coyotes on Friday.

Modano has tallied 1,231 points in his career, one shy of Housley for the all-time record among American born players.

On Wednesday night, Modano was incorrectly credited with an assist on Sergei Zubov's goal in the third period. The crowd went wild, but the veteran center had not even touched the puck on the play, and the assist was taken away after the game.

The 37-year-old has spent his entire career with the Stars franchise after being drafted first overall in 1988 by the Minnesota North Stars. Modano has picked on the Coyotes franchise for years, notching 88 points in 81 career games, his highest total against any team.

While Modano has been chasing personal history, Dallas has dropped two games in a row, due mostly to an inability to stop the other team. Top goaltender Marty Turco allowed four goals in a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Monday and three to the Blackhawks on Wednesday before being pulled in an eventual 5-4 loss.

Phoenix, which finished with the lowest point total in the Western Conference last season, is off to another inauspicious start in 2007-08.

Offense has been the problem for the Coyotes, as they have scored more than three goals in just one of 10 contests and more than two goals just three times.

Dallas won the first meeting of the season between the teams last Friday, 5-3. Modano had a goal and an assist in that contest and Brenden Morrow tallied three assists.