Game Recap

DALLAS 5, BOSTON 4 (OT) DALLAS (AP) - Joe Nieuwendyk is a big fan of the 4-on-4 overtime concept, something the Dallas Stars center took advantage of to score the winning goal Friday night. Nieuwendyk scored one minute into the extra period to keep the Stars unbeaten in their last seven games against Boston with a 5-4 victory. Linemate Brenden Morrow skated up the left side into the Boston zone on a 2-on-2 and fed a perfect goalmouth pass to Nieuwendyk, who skated hard to the net along the right side. He directed his 24th goal past Bruins goaltender Peter Skudra. "I love it," Nieuwendyk said of the wide-open style encouraged by having only eight skaters on the ice in overtime. "It turns into a little like river hockey where you get the turnover and go. You've already got the one point, so you've got nothing to lose." Morrow had two goals, but his biggest contribution came on Nieuwendyk's winner. "I kind of knew he was going to be there," said Morrow. "I saw Joe had a step on the defense, so I gave it to him." Skudra said he didn't know Nieuwendyk was barreling toward the net until it was too late. "I didn't see him coming in the back door," Skudra said. "He's a great player who goes hard to the net all the time. He has a great scoring touch." Nieuwendyk has four goals and two assists in his last three games. Once again, Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said Nieuwendyk was the best player on the ice. "It's because he's fighting hard for his space and playing tough," said Hitchcock. "The scoring is the result of those things. He's a dominant player." Brett Hull scored his 639th career goal and 29th of the season on a second-period power play as the Stars improved to 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Darryl Sydor added a third-period power play goal for Dallas, 5-0-2 in its last seven meetings with the Bruins. Mike Knuble, Kyle McLaren, Bill Guerin and Joe Thornton scored for the Bruins, who lost their fourth in a row despite 10 power-play opportunities. McLaren and Thornton connected on the power play. Dallas was 2-for-8 on the power play. The combined 18 power plays awarded by referees Bernard DeGrace and Tim Peel were the second-highest total in an NHL game this season. Dallas and Colorado combined for 19 on Oct. 4. DALLAS STARS 5, Boston Bruins 4 (OT) 1ST 2ND 3RD OT FINAL --- --- --- --- ----- Boston 2 0 2 0 4 Dallas 0 2 2 1 5 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 12, Boston, Knuble 5 (Girard, Rolston), 1:59. 2, Boston, McLaren 5 (Allison, Guerin), 19:54 (pp). PENALTIES: Lukowich, Dal (holding the stick), 4:10; Hull, Dal (hooking), 7:11; Matvichuk, Dal (cross-checking), 9:12; Gill, Bos (interference), 12:44; McLaren, Bos (high-sticking), 13:43; Thornton, Bos (hand on puck), 17:46; Hogue, Dal (holding the stick), 19:23. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 3, Dallas, Morrow 14 (Matvichuk, Marshall), 1:27. 4, Dallas, Hull 29 (Zubov, Modano), 9:04 (pp). PENALTIES: Modano, Dal (tripping), 2:44; Popovic, Bos (holding stick), 5:50; Morrow, Dal (slashing), 7:59; Guerin, Bos (tripping), 8:19; Thornton, Bos (hooking), 8:19; Muller, Dal (slashing), 12:01; Guerin, Bos (high-sticking), 15:24; Samsonov, Bos (high-sticking), 18:26. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 5, Dallas, Sydor 7, :15 (pp). 6, Dallas, Morrow 15 (Zubov), 3:53. 7, Boston, Guerin 32 (Thornton, Samsonov), 4:58. 8, Boston, Thornton 21 (Guerin, Rolston), 10:11 (pp). PENALTIES: Langenbrunner, Dal (interference), :27; Keane, Dal (boarding), 5:20; Langenbrunner, Dal (high-sticking), 8:15. OVERTIME - SCORING: 9, Dallas, Nieuwendyk 24 (Morrow, Lukowich), 1:00. PENALTIES: None. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- Boston 10 8 9 0 27 Dallas 8 4 5 2 19 POWER PLAY: Boston 2 of 10; Dallas 2 of 8. GOALIES: Boston, Skudra 6-10-1 (19 shots-14 saves). Dallas, Belfour 26-16-5 (27-23). Referees: Bernard DeGrace, Tim Peel. Linesmen: Mike Cvik, Brian Mach. A: 17,001 (17,001).