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Modano's two goals helps Stars top Sharks

Jan 18, 2008 - 7:58 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Mike Modano and the Dallas Stars seem to love coming to San Jose.

Modano scored two goals - including the game-winner - as the Stars extended their winning streak in San Jose to six games with a 4-2 triumph over the Sharks on Thursday in a battle of Pacific Division rivals.

Niklas Hagman and Jeff Halpern also tallied for Dallas, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

"We need the points, it is a logjam right at the top (of the division)," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "There's going to be lots of teams pushing. You have to control what you can control and get as many points as you can."

In a visit to San Jose on November 7, Modano also netted a pair of goals to become the highest American-born scorer in NHL history.

"I'm a little bit sick of watching Modano have two-goal games," Sharks captain Patrick Marleau said. "He usually has strong games against us. We knew that going in, and we just have to do a better job against him to try to keep him in check."

The 18-year veteran, who now has 521 career tallies, gave Dallas a 2-1 lead with 5:09 remaining in the second session.

After Hagman dug the puck out from behind the net, he passed it along the boards to Loui Eriksson, who centered it to Modano at the corner of the crease. Modano's one-timer beat goaltender Evgeni Nabokov low to the glove side.

The Sharks tied the game at 3:23 of the third, when Milan Michalek intercepted a clearing attempt in the offensive zone and made a cross-ice pass to Joe Thornton, who launched a slap shot from above the left faceoff circle that was deflected off Stars rookie defenseman Matt Niskanen and past netminder Marty Turco.

"Joe was coming off the bench," Michalek said. "They were changing, and I don't know if the defenseman saw Joe behind him."

Modano, who has 22 career goals against the Sharks, put Dallas ahead for good with 7:06 remaining with his 14th tally of the season. The 37-year-old future Hall of Famer slapped the puck past a screened Nabokov after defenseman Stephane Robidas' shot was blocked.

Halpern netted his 10th goal of the campaign with 2:09 left in the contest, sealing the victory. Dallas has a league-high seven players with 10 or more goals.

"It seems every time we've played them in our building, they have outwaited us," San Jose coach Ron Wilson said. "You want a better performance considering they are road-weary and probably a little desperate. We didn't match that desperation. We didn't have enough guys that played with that kind of urgency.

"When you play a team that is going to compete like they did and you don't have enough guys being relentless enough for long enough, you will lose the game because these teams are pretty evenly matched."

Near the end of the first period, a fight broke out between defensemen Trevor Daley of the Stars and Craig Rivet of the Sharks. The battle was triggered by Rivet's face-splitting hit on Dallas captain Brenden Morrow.

Morrow, who turned 29 on Wednesday, remained on the ice for several seconds - bleeding from two places before getting up and arguing the call that gave Daley a game misconduct.

The play, however, seemed to give Dallas a jolt of energy.

"(The hit) got everybody up off the bench and involved," Modano said. "You like to find other ways to get your team jump started rather than a hit like that."

"You would think so," Rivet said when asked if he expected a fight following the hit. "Obviously, someone is sticking up for his teammate, and I think you have to expect that. It's part of the game."

Turco turned aside 28 shots, while Nabokov made 27 saves.

"They've all been good games, not lopsided," Turco said of the six meetings between the teams this season. "We've been chasing each other up and down the standings for years.

"We've had some pretty gutsy performances that have pushed us over the top. We haven't always played our best, but we have found ways to win. We have been lucky a few times, and tonight, we were good and lucky."

Michalek opened the scoring for San Jose at 6:11 of the opening session, but Hagman tied the contest less than five minutes later with his 16th tally of the season.