Game Recap

DALLAS 5, ANAHEIM 2 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Dallas Stars are back in a familiar position -- first place in their division. Now all they have to do is hold onto it over the next 16 games for their fifth straight division title. Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen each had a goal and two assists and Brett Hull reached the 30-goal mark for the 11th time in his career as the Stars beat the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 5-2 Friday night. "Everybody's been making it out to be a bigger deal than we have," Modano said. "People talk about it and write about it, but I don't think we really discuss it very much. We just want to play good hockey and get better." For the second straight game, the Mighty Ducks lost to a team that jumped from second place to first by beating them. Two nights after Detroit overtook St. Louis in the Central Division, the Stars moved a point ahead of idle San Jose in the Pacific -- the first time Dallas has had sole possession of the top spot since Jan. 24. "For me, this is the first time in four years that I'm scoreboard watching. And the players are right -- it is fun," said coach Ken Hitchcock, who has guided the Stars to a Stanley Cup and two President's Trophies in the previous three seasons. "Everybody's moving up the ladder, so you have to keep pace." Grant Marshall and Ted Donato also scored for the defending Western Conference champs, who were coming off three consecutive one-goal losses and dealt the Mighty Ducks their fourth straight defeat. The Stars ended the four-game road trip with their fifth straight victory over the Ducks and fourth this season. Ed Belfour, whose 20 victories against the Ducks are the most by any goalie, raised his career win total to 335 with 27 saves. He moved into a tie for 12th place all-time with Gump Worsley, who recorded 39 of his victories for the Minnesota North Stars between 1969 and 1974. Oleg Tverdovsky and Matt Cullen scored for the Ducks, who were missing Teemu Selanne for the second straight game because of an injured left knee. They are 5-22-4 in their last 31 games since winning their first two under interim head coach Guy Charron. "We're just looking for positive things out there," Ducks defenseman Jason Marshall said. "It was kind of apparent that they were the better team. I think we've done better when we've had the lead, but we keep struggling to get that first goal." Dallas center Joe Nieuwendyk, who leads the team with 11 power-play goals, didn't play because of a groin strain. He is expected to miss Sunday's home game against Buffalo. Dallas Stars 5, MIGHTY DUCKS OF ANAHEIM 2 1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL --- --- --- ----- Dallas 2 0 3 5 Anaheim 0 0 2 2 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, G.Marshall 9 (Morrow, Zubov), 3:11. 2, Dallas, Lehtinen 18 (Sydor, Modano), 15:06 (pp). PENALTIES: Trnka, Ana (roughing), 1:06; Hull, Dal (holding), 6:01; Chouinard, Ana (high-sticking), 14:05; J.Marshall, Ana (holding), 18:38. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Hatcher, Dal (slashing), 5:16; Matvichuk, Dal (interference), 6:08. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 3, Dallas, Hull 30 (Lehtinen, Modano), 1:28. 4, Anaheim, Tverdovsky 11 (Cullen, McInnis), 4:25 (pp). 5, Dallas, Modano 23 (Hull, Lehtinen), 4:50. 6, Dallas, Donato 4 (Van Allen, Langenbrunner), 6:01. 7, Anaheim, Cullen 9 (Crowley, Kariya), 15:29. PENALTIES: Modano, Dal (interference), 4:15; Donato, Dal (hooking), 19:33. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- Dallas 12 5 8 25 Anaheim 9 8 12 29 POWER PLAY: Dallas 1 of 3; Anaheim 1 of 5. GOALIES: Dallas, Belfour 27-18-5 (29 shots-27 saves). Anaheim, Giguere 4-12-2 (25-20). Referees: Dan O'Halloran, Brad Watson. Linesmen: Randy Mitton, Mark Pare. A: 14,660 (17,174).