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Eriksson nets pair as Stars topple Coyotes

Dec 17, 2008 - 5:05 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DALLAS (Ticker) -- It's frightening to think where the Dallas Stars would be without Loui Eriksson this season.

The third-year winger scored twice - including the game-winner with 81 seconds remaining in overtime - as the Stars recorded a 2-1 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday.

Eriksson has already tied his career high of 14 goals from last season and leads the injury-depleted Stars, who entered the game in last place in the Western Conference.

"Tonight we got two good points and we have to build on that," Eriksson said. "It's always good to have that confidence and we need all the points we can get. It was a good win and a good two points for us."

"Loui takes that responsibility with the guys we have out," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "Both goals were hard around the net. Those turned out to be very valuable tonight. Loui does so many things for us. We're asking guys to do a little more and he came up with a little more."

Mike Ribeiro controlled the puck behind the net and skated into the right corner before sliding a perfect cross-ice pass to Eriksson on the left side of the crease. The puck bounced up in the air off Eriksson's stick, but the 23-year-old Swede managed to swat it knee-high and it squeezed between netminder Ilya Bryzgalov and the left post as it trickled over the goal line.

"Both my goals were in front of the net and that's where you have to be to score goals," Eriksson said. "That's how you score all the goals, you have to get out there and someone will make a play for you."

"Unfortunately we had a turnover in our own zone for no reason whatsoever, Ribeiro makes a good play behind the net and it's a 2-1 game," Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky said. "We battled hard and got a point out of it. I was excited about how hard the team competed."

Bryzgalov was outstanding in defeat as he made 28 saves, while enforcer Todd Fedoruk scored the lone Phoenix goal, tying the game with 9:09 remaining in the third period.

"We have to have that game. We can't afford to have points slip away," Coyotes captain Shane Doan said. "We let them off the hook. We didn't bury opportunities. We've got to find ways to win. Tonight we tie it up, have the momentum and don't capitalize on it."

Dallas goaltender Marty Turco was excellent as well, turning aside 22 shots, as the Stars won for the fifth time in their last eight games.

"I have an opportunity to make a big difference in the game every night and I want to provide the guys with a chance to win," Turco said. "It's about stopping pucks, communicating and taking pride in doing all the little things right."

"Marty was excellent and we need him to be there," Tippett said. "He's a big part of our team that needs to be in place."

Phoenix earned a point for the fourth consecutive game (2-0-2).

"It was a good road game for us," Gretzky said. "We played a desperate hockey club tonight. Their veteran leadership played with a great deal of spirit. It was a battle and I like the way our team competed."

The Stars got off to a quick start, as Eriksson notched his first of the night just 3:15 into the opening period. Eriksson was all alone in front when he received a pass from behind the net by Chris Conner and deked wide to his forehand around Bryzgalov and ramped it off Peter Mueller's stick and into the open side of the net.

Dallas appeared to go up by 2-0 on a power play with 59 seconds left in the second, when Brad Richards skated out from behind the Phoenix net and made a backhanded wraparound attempt. The puck pinballed off Bryzgalov's skate, which was on the goal line, but it never completely crossed the line. The officials reviewed the play, and correctly ruled it no goal.

The Stars had another golden opportunity to increase their lead 51 seconds into the final period, but Conner's wrist shot from the top of the left face-off circle bounced off Bryzgalov's glove and off the crossbar.

The Coyotes broke through for the equalizer at 10:51 of the third period on Fedoruk's fourth goal of the season. Mueller fired a wrist shot from the left circle that Turco stopped, but the rebound popped out in front, where Fedoruk swatted it into the open cage to tie it 1-1.