Game Recap

DALLAS 2, NASHVILLE 1 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Brett Hull woke up the Dallas Stars and stopped the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night with one swing of his stick. The Predators looked ready to continue a successful streak -- they had won four of their last five -- as they took the first five shots thanks to a power play 25 seconds into the game. Goaltender Mike Dunham didn't face a Dallas shot until nearly five minutes passed. Then Hull scored a power-play goal 14:35 into the first period and Mike Modano added a goal and an assist as the Stars beat Nashville 2-1. "That gave them life and took some life out of us," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said of Hull's goal. Dallas outshot Nashville 35-24 and beat the Predators for the third time in one-goal games between the teams this season. But it was Hull who got the Stars going 29 seconds into their first power play with his 28th goal. Hull scored on a one-timer from the right circle that went by Dunham's glove off assists from Modano and Darryl Sydor at 14:35. Hull gave the credit to Modano. "No question that he's the whole centrifuge to our team. Where he goes, we go, because he can carry the whole team with him," Hull said. For Dallas, the power-play goal was just as important. The Stars went scoreless on power-play chances in their last four losses, but now have scored on 8-of-16 power plays this month. "We put the five best players that we have together and let 'em go and just kind of let it carry us as far as it can," Modano said. "We have a lot of different assets out there." After Hull's goal, Dallas played keepaway for most of the second period, controlling the puck almost as if it had a power play and outshooting Nashville 13-2 in one stretch. Captain Derian Hatcher called it one of the Stars' best periods in a long time. "We started standing around and got away from our game," Nashville defenseman Cale Hulse said. Modano padded the Stars' lead at 10:56 of the third when he scored from the right circle on a 2-on-1 with Jamie Langenbrunner. Goalie Ed Belfour nearly added to his league-best seven shutouts by stopping 23 shots. The Predators, who had only three shots in their final three power plays, avoided being shut out at home for the fifth time this season when Patric Kjellberg poked in a rebound of Drake Berehowsky's shot with 1:15 remaining. Dallas Stars 2, NASHVILLE PREDATORS 1 1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL --- --- --- ----- Dallas 1 0 1 2 Nashville 0 0 1 1 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Hull 28 (Modano, Sydor), 14:35 (pp). PENALTIES: Modano, Dal (tripping), :25; Hulse, Nas (cross-checking), 14:06; Helenius, Dal, major (fighting), 15:38; Hartnell, Nas, major (fighting), 15:38. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Eaton, Nas (holding), 1:43; Nieuwendyk, Dal (tripping), 19:37. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 2, Dallas, Modano 19 (Langenbrunner, Keane), 10:56. 3, Nashville, Kjellberg 10 (Berehowsky, Legwand), 18:45 (pp). PENALTIES: Langenbrunner, Dal (elbowing), 7:32; MacLean, Dal (closing hand on puck), 17:02. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- Dallas 8 16 11 35 Nashville 12 6 6 24 POWER PLAY: Dallas 1 of 2; Nashville 1 of 4. GOALIES: Dallas, Belfour 22-15-5 (24 shots-23 saves). Nashville, Dunham 15-13-3 (35-33). Referees: Mick McGeough, Paul Stewart. Linesmen: Pierre Racicot, Dan Schachte. A: 15,151 (17,113).