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Vermette helps Senators double up Stars

Dec 8, 2007 - 5:59 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DALLAS (Ticker) -- It was not the stars of the Ottawa Senators who beat the Dallas Stars, but the muckers and grinders.

The Senators received important contributions from some of their lesser-heralded players to defeat the Dallas Stars, 4-2, on Friday night.

In a game with a surprising amount of animosity between two clubs who have not seen much of each other in recent years, Antoine Vermette had a goal and an assist while Mike Fisher and defenseman Christoph Schubert also tallied for the Senators.

Those contributions were crucial because Ottawa's top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza - each of whom are among the NHL's top 25 scorers - were kept quiet most of the night.

"Really, the last two nights, we've had good contributions from other players," Ottawa coach John Paddock said. "That's what a team is. That's what we need a lot of nights, whether it's on the scoresheet or in other areas."

It was Ottawa's second straight win after going 0-4-3 in its previous seven, while Dallas lost its second in a row after a string of eight victories.

"We were prepared and focused, and they capitalized on their opportunities and we didn't," said Stars captain Brenden Morrow, who had two assists. "We were getting shots, but the effort to create the second and third shot wasn't there. It was a competitive game against a good team. We just didn't get the bounces."

Ray Emery sparkled in goal when necessary, turning aside 23 shots for just his fourth victory of the season. Emery, who helped the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, had been serving as the backup to Martin Gerber following his return from offseason wrist surgery.

"He played well throughout the whole game," Fisher said. "He made some big stops and he was there and gave us a chance. I thought he's just continuing to get better."

For Dallas, Niklas Hagman scored his 11th goal of the campaign before being ejected for boarding late in the second period.

Backup Mike Smith got the start in goal for Dallas and gave a solid performance, making 16 saves.

With Ottawa leading, 2-1, late in the second period - right after Emery stopped Mike Modano's wrist shot from the slot on a power play - Hagman crunched Schubert into the boards for a five-minute major and game misconduct. Schubert stayed down for several minutes before being helped off, but he did return for the next shift during the man advantage.

"The officials told me (Schubert) was in a vulnerable position," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said of the play. "If it was our player getting hit, we'd be upset."

Without Hagman and with Stu Barnes in the penalty box, Dallas' two best penalty-killers were off the ice as Ottawa converted a 5-on-3 advantage at 6:29 of the third. Just 22 seconds into the opportunity, Fisher whipped a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle past Smith on the short side for a 3-1 bulge.

"We skated well. It seemed like we were controlling it a little bit more in the neutral zone and hanging on to pucks down low," Fisher said. "The guys seemed to have a little more energy and a little more will tonight, and that resulted in an overall pretty good effort.

"We've been forechecking a little bit harder, creating chances and playing a little bit more of the style we started off. It's nice to get back to playing the way we know we can."

Smith was bowled over after stopping Chris Neil on a breakaway with 5:06 left in the third period, but remained in the game.

Mike Ribeiro was able to halve the Stars' deficit with 1:49 remaining, but Chris Kelly added an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left to seal the win.

"We got down, 3-1, and it was just a little too late from us in the third," Ribeiro said. "I thought we picked it up in the third. It's tough and it hurts to drop two straight at home."

Ottawa got on the board first when Schubert netted his fourth of the season at 5:18 of the first period, as his looping wrist shot from the blue line sailed through a screen and past Smith.

"They got some bounces and I needed to make some saves early, and I didn't do that tonight," Smith said. "Once you get behind, you chase the game, and it's unfortunate to start like that. A couple of more saves on my part would have made it a different game.

"On the first goal, there were a few guys in front of me, but I have to find the puck no matter what."

Immediately after the ensuing faceoff, Neil tried to engage Dallas' Steve Ott in a fight, but since Ott did not drop his gloves to participate in the bout, Neil ended up alone in the penalty box for four minutes.

After defenseman Wade Redden was whistled for hooking at 7:11, the Stars went on a 5-on-3 power play for a full two minutes. It took just 21 seconds for them to capitalize, as Hagman swatted in the rebound of blue-liner Sergei Zubov's slap shot to tie the game at 1-1.

Ottawa regained the lead with 3:31 to go in the first on a spectacular individual effort by Vermette. After taking a pass at the Stars' blue line from Neil, Vermette stickhandled through both defenders, came in alone and beat Smith with a move to his forehand.

"I saw Chris Neil had the puck on the neutral wing, so I tried to gain some speed through the middle," Vermette said. "Then I pulled the puck and tried to make the (defenseman) move, and I slid the puck between his legs. It's going to work once in a while, but I was pretty happy. I got lucky. I guess sometimes the puck's going to hit the skate."