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Kings edge Stars, stretch winning streak to four

Nov 14, 2008 - 6:03 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DALLAS (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars' puzzling struggles this season continue.

Michal Handzus and defenseman Kyle Quincey scored power-play goals as the Los Angeles Kings extended their winning streak to four games Thursday with a 3-2 victory over the Stars and a sweep of their home-and-home series.

Jarret Stoll also tallied and Alexander Frolov added a pair of assists for Los Angeles, which posted a 3-2 shootout win over Dallas on Tuesday.

Making his fifth straight start, Erik Ersberg turned aside 24 shots for the Kings, who were coming off a 3-2-2 homestand.

"Obviously, it was a big win," said Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown, who had his three-game goal-scoring streak snapped. "They were a point behind us in the division standings, and every division game's like a four-point game. To get a gritty win on the road was good."

"Wins for this young hockey team are important," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "We had some chances early in the season and we didn't finish off those games. We're definitely doing a real good job now. Our goalie's play was good. ... He had another good game, and that gave us a lift."

Brad Richards notched a goal and an assist and Mike Ribeiro also scored for Dallas, which fell to 1-4-1 in its last six games.

"We just can't find a way to win right now," Richards said. "On home ice, tonight was unacceptable, the way we came out in the first period. I'm speechless. Mental lapses, turnovers, giving up chances. I don't know why we can't get it in our heads."

The Stars, who advanced to the Western Conference finals last spring before bowing out to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in six games, are mired in 14th place in the Western Conference and have surrendered the most goals (60) among the 15 teams.

"Whatever we did tonight, we didn't look like that desperate team," said Dallas captain Brenden Morrow, who notched an assist. "There's a lot of pressure on us. It's coming from all angles, and we're putting most on ourselves. It's been frustrating, disappointing. We haven't gotten many breaks - we haven't earned any. Until we start doing that, we're just going to keep hovering around last place in our division."

"We need points bad," Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas added. "We're really deep in the standings, and before the start of the season, we were talking about the Stanley Cup and feeling good after the playoff run last year. We're far from that, and we're playing nowhere near where we were last year."

Los Angeles got on the board first, as Handzus tallied just four seconds into a power play at 9:53 of the opening period. Stationed in front of the net, Handzus deflected defenseman Peter Harrold's shot from the blue line out of mid-air and between goaltender Marty Turco's pads for his third goal of the season.

Stoll doubled the advantage with 6:49 remaining in the first with his sixth tally. Blue-liner Sean O'Donnell's shot from the left point hit teammate Frolov in front, and Stoll pounced on the loose puck and swept it past Turco.

"Knowing how things ended last game, we expected a better start," Ribeiro said. "You can't wait to see what the other team is going to bring, you have to take it to them."

The Stars capitalized on a 5-on-3 advantage to halve the deficit as Richards scored with just 21.2 seconds remaining. Off a cross-ice pass from defenseman Sergei Zubov, Richards blasted a one-timer from the top of the right faceoff circle that deflected off O'Donnell in front and past Ersberg.

Los Angeles restored its two-goal lead at 3:24 of the second session, when Quincey ripped a slap shot from the blue line past a screened Turco during a man advantage for his second tally of the campaign.

"We're on a roll right now," Quincey said.

"We won't be a very good team until we play together as a team," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "We don't trust each other to get their jobs done. We are too individual right now, and there are a lot of different parts here. Our key parts don't have trust in the group."

Dallas pulled within one again on Ribeiro's power-play goal with 5:17 remaining in the middle period. From along the left wing boards, Richards unleashed a shot that Ribeiro redirected past Ersberg from the doorstep for his second goal.