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Turco outshines Theodore, Avalanche

Mar 10, 2008 - 4:45 AM DALLAS (Ticker) -- The stellar play of Jose Theodore and the winning streak of the Colorado Avalanche both came to an emphatic end Sunday.

Marty Turco turned away 19 shots and Stu Barnes scored a goal for the Dallas Stars en route to a 3-0 victory over the Avalanche.

Brad Richards scored his first goal as a member of the Stars and defenseman Stephane Robidas added a goal. Mike Modano had two assists for Dallas.

"The way we played was relentless and proper," Turco said. "We need more of the same."

"I knew tonight was a big game and it was good to good to get a lead and keep pushing," Richards said. "I like playing the off-wing so I can see the ice better and it worked out good tonight."

Richards, who normally plays center, played on the right wing on the same line with captain Brenden Morrow at left wing and Modano at center.

Theodore had started every game for Colorado during its six-game winning streak, posting an impressive 1.32 goals-against average. It was his longest win streak since he won seven consecutive games from March 28-April 9, 2002 - the same season he won the Hart and Vezina trophies as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

"I don't think we played our best game, I don't think it was our best effort," Colorado defenseman Kurt Sauer said.

However, Theodore's attempt at a seventh straight victory ended when he was pulled in favor of Peter Budaj prior to the start of the third period, largely due to an Avalanche offense that mustered only one shot on goal in the first period - tying a season low. Theodore finished with 18 saves.

"I gave Jose a rest and (hoped to) change momentum maybe," Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville said.

One reason for Colorado's offensive ineptitude was the absence of Peter Forsberg, who sat out with a groin injury suffered in Saturday's 3-1 win over Dallas in Colorado.

"I don't know how much it affected us, it's tough to say - it's always hindsight," Sauer said.

In fact, the Stars had already converted two of their 12 shots into goals by the time defenseman Scott Hannan registered the Avalanche's first shot of the game with just 36 seconds left in the first period.

"They (Colorado) checked their way to chances," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "The situation was where we lost three in a row and didn't feel like we played well."

While Colorado managed 11 shots in the second and seven more in the third, Turco was up to the task in gaining his third shutout of the season and 33rd career.

"The last week and a half we've been giving up leads and getting scored on; we haven't had too many hot starts, so it was a sight for sore eyes," Turco said.

It also was the Stars' first shutout of the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise since Jon Casey accomplished the feat in 1990 while the team was still based in Minnesota.

"I think they were just a little bit better than us," Colorado center Joe Sakic said. "They were skating, they were hard on the puck, they didn't give us any room."

Barnes posted his ninth goal of the campaign off a rebound of a missed shot by blue-liner Trevor Daley. He knocked the puck into the left corner of the net from outside the top left corner of the crease just 3:56 into the game.

"A win is a win no matter who is playing and they're all important," Barnes said. "We wanted to put an end to the losing streak."

Robidas benefited from Modano's 750th career assist and notched his seventh goal of the season at 5:25, firing a slap shot from inside the blue line over the left shoulder of Theodore to put Dallas ahead, 2-0.

Richards converted on another assist from Modano and capped the scoring with his 19th tally to give the Stars a 3-0 lead. He fired a one-timer from the middle of the right faceoff circle into the left corner of the net at 6:55 of the second period.

The Avalanche lost two defenseman to injuries in the first period. Jordan Leopold left the game with a head injury after a hard check and Ruslan Salei left with an eye injury. Neither player returned to the game.

Leopold is expected to be back in time for Tuesday's game in Atlanta while Salei's condition is unknown.