Game Recap

DALLAS 3, EDMONTON 2 DALLAS (AP) - After going 85 games without a goal, Dallas Stars defenseman Derian Hatcher figured he was due. Especially after switching sticks. Hatcher's tie-breaking goal on a power play with 8:20 remaining lifted the Stars to a 3-2 victory over Edmonton on Wednesday night, Dallas' 11th straight win over the Oilers at Reunion Arena. "I just tried to get it around the guys in front of the net," said Hatcher, who hadn't scored since Nov. 28, 1999. "I was trying not to get frustrated, but it's been quite a while. But my No. 1 thing isn't scoring on this team." With the game tied at 2, Hatcher's shot from the top of the left circle glanced off the leg of Oilers defenseman Janne Niinimaa and past goaltender Tommy Salo. Hatcher had switched from wood to an aluminum stick last season, and hadn't scored with the metal stick. On Wednesday night he went back to wood and ended the streak. That helped the Stars improve to 14-1-1 against the Oilers in Dallas since the franchise moved from Minnesota prior to the 1993-94 season. Dallas is 24-3-3 against Edmonton in the regular season during that span. "Somehow they find a way to win these games," said Salo. "I don't know how they do it. It was the same thing today. They got a break in the third period and win the game. The puck hit somebody on the way in and that was the break they needed. "It's a disappointing loss, but one of these days it's going to turn around for us." John MacLean scored a first-period goal in his Stars debut. MacLean was acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on Monday and was playing in his third game of the season, 1,147th of his career. "He's a good fit for us, a veteran who makes the smart play with the puck and doesn't turn it over with the game on the line," said Stars coach Ken Hitchcock. Mike Modano got his 17th goal in the first period for the Stars and goaltender Ed Belfour continued to recover from a midseason slump with a solid 20-save performance. Sean Brown and Niinimaa scored first-period goals for the Oilers, both deflecting off Stars players. Dallas took a 1-0 lead on Modano's power-play goal. Edmonton tied it 29 seconds later when Brown's shot from the point deflected off the skate of Hatcher and past Belfour. MacLean put the Stars in front 2-1 with his first goal since March 19, 2000, while with the Rangers. MacLean fired his own rebound past Salo from low in the left circle. But Niinimaa drew the Oilers even at 2 on a shot that went in off the leg of Stars forward Shaun Van Allen. DALLAS STARS 3, Edmonton Oilers 2 1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL --- --- --- ----- Edmonton 2 0 0 2 Dallas 2 0 1 3 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Modano 17 (Zubov), 11:39 (pp). 2, Edmonton, Brown 2, 12:08. 3, Dallas, MacLean 1 (Donato, Zubov), 13:18. 4, Edmonton, Niinimaa 8 (Weight, Smyth), 15:24. PENALTIES: Helenius, Dal (roughing), 4:50; Lukowich, Dal, minor-major (roughing-fighting), 4:50; Laraque, Edm, (cross-checking), 4:50; Brown, Edm, major (fighting), 4:50; Laraque, Edm, major (fighting), 8:18; Helenius, Dal, major (fighting), 8:18; Carter, Edm (ob.-holding stick), 11:00; Lukowich, Dal (elbowing), 15:42; Smyth, Edm (interference), 16:32; Sydor, Dal (holding), 16:48. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Weight, Edm (holding), 1:48; Helenius, Dal (hooking), 6:25; Modano, Dal (holding stick), 13:44; Moreau, Edm (goalie interference), 16:24. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 5, Dallas, Hatcher 1 (Nieuwendyk, Morrow), 11:40 (pp). PENALTIES: Smith, Edm (hooking), 9:48; Hogue, Dal (boarding), 13:45. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- Edmonton 7 8 7 22 Dallas 11 1 7 19 POWER PLAY: Edmonton 1 of 6; Dallas 2 of 4. GOALIES: Edmonton, Salo 22-19-8 (19 shots-16 saves). Dallas, Belfour 21-15-4 (22-20). Referees: Dave Jackson, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Greg Devorski, Dan O'Rourke. A: 17,001 (17,001).