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Ribeiro's tally helps Stars end Flames winning streak

Dec 22, 2007 - 7:51 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Mike Ribeiro's overtime goal at 57 seconds of the extra frame gave the Dallas Stars a 3-2 victory over the streaking Calgary Flames on Friday.

It was Ribeiro's second tally of the night and his team-leading 18th of the season, snapping a six-game winning streak for the Flames.

Calgary finished a perfect 6-0-0 on its longest road trip of the season that ended on Tuesday, and held a 2-1 lead at the start of the third period.

However, Dallas quickly erased the one-goal deficit when Niklas Hagman evened things up at the 4:01 mark of the third. Hagman received a pass from Loui Eriksson across the slot and easily knocked the puck home past Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

"We had some chances to put them away," Flames coach Mike Keenan said. "It was obvious we had the proverbial slow start, and we had a lead going into the third that you would like to think you can defend in your own building. I give them credit for coming back."

Dallas netminder Mike Smith made the lead stand up with 11 saves in the third period, setting the stage for Ribeiro.

"It was a big win," Smith said. "I haven't played very much lately and just to get out there to give them a chance, I really felt I did that in the third."

Stars defenseman Sergei Zubov fired in a wrist shot from the right point that was deflected by Ribeiro in front of Kiprusoff. The shot looked as if it was going wide when the Dallas center redirected it through the pads of Kiprusoff, giving Dallas the win.

"I just went to the net, it was a great play from Zubov," Ribeiro said. "Didn't try to shoot at the net, just tried to hit my stick."

The Stars had gotten on the board first when Ribeiro scored just 2:42 into the game. Brenden Morrow fed a pass in front from behind the net and the Stars' center made a move to the backhand, lifting the puck over Kiprusoff.

After getting only three shots on goal in the first period, the Flames rallied for two goals in the second period to go ahead.

Alex Tanguay tied the game at the 4:31 mark of the middle frame, knocking home a rebound after Dustin Boyd's wrist shot from the point was stopped by Smith.

Late in the second, Calgary took the lead when Matthew Lombardi skated into the Stars' zone and fired a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Smith high to the glove side. The ninth tally of the season for Lombardi gave the Flames a 2-1 lead with 3:17 left in the period.

Kiprusoff finished with 20 saves for the Flames, who have just one win in their last six home games.

"We have to reload," Keenan said. "It was a topic of discussion since we've returned. "It was an excellent road trip, but how do you overcome the letdown? It's that problem around this time of the year."

Smith stopped 22 shots for the Stars, who won for the fifth time in six games and finished its four-game road trip with a 3-1-0 record.