Game Recap

DALLAS 4, CALGARY 4 (OT) DALLAS (AP) - With the playoffs approaching, the road-weary Dallas Stars were trying to avoid losing any of their top players to injuries. The Calgary Flames were just playing for next season. Calgary's Benoit Gratton scored a rebound goal with 3:24 left in regulation to lift the Flames into a 4-4 tie on Monday night. The Stars, returning home after playing three road games in four nights, have already clinched the Pacific Division title and their fifth straight playoff berth. Calgary has been eliminated from playoff contention. "We didn't have any legs at all," Stars' coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Calgary's got guys fighting for employment for next season, and we're trying not to get hurt for the playoffs. It was combination of a lot of things." Mike Modano had given the Stars a 4-3 lead a minute into the third, and Dallas remained unbeaten in its last 11 (8-0-3). Modano notched his 30th of the season from low in the right circle, converting Brett Hull's pass from behind the goal line. Modano became the first player in franchise history with eight seasons of 30 or more goals. But Gratton drew the Flames even with his first goal of the season, knocking a rebound past Stars' rookie goaltender Marty Turco. "We're playing for jobs and for respect throughout the league," Flames goalie Fred Brathwaite said. "It would have been nice to get the win, but at least we were able to slow them down. They're a team with a lot of firepower. But if we played the way we did tonight earlier in the season, we'd be in the playoffs." Calgary's Derek Morris had the best scoring chance in the overtime, but he hit the left goal post off a breakaway with 2:51 to play. Mike Keane, Jere Lehtinen and Darryl Sydor also scored for Dallas. Toni Lydman, Oleg Saprykin and Valeri Bure were the other scorers for Calgary. Turco made 35 saves in his second straight start as Hitchcock rested No. 1 goalie Ed Belfour for the playoffs. Turco was probably making his last start of the season because Belfour is expected to start the last two regular-season games. "It was an off-night by our team," Turco said. "A lot of it was that they had nothing on the line and no pressure." DALLAS STARS 4, Calgary Flames 4 (OT) 1ST 2ND 3RD OT FINAL --- --- --- --- ----- Calgary 2 1 1 0 4 Dallas 3 0 1 0 4 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Keane 10 (Muller), 3:15. 2, Calgary, Lydman 3, 4:49. 3, Dallas, Lehtinen 20, 15:33. 4, Calgary, Saprykin 8 (Clark, Housley), 16:50. 5, Dallas, Sydor 10 (Nieuwendyk, Modano), 19:06 (pp). PENALTIES: Van Allen, Dal, double minor (high-sticking), 4:53; Conroy, Cal (hooking), 5:19; Clark, Cal (ob.-tripping), 7:50; Petrovicky, Cal (tripping), 18:10. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 6, Calgary, Bure 26 (Conroy, Lydman), 12:35. PENALTIES: MacLean, Dal (roughing), 1:10; Gauthier, Cal (unsportsmanlike conduct), 4:48; Donato, Dal (roughing), 6:12. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 7, Dallas, Modano 30 (Hull, Langenbrunner), 1:00. 8, Calgary, Gratton 1 (Housley), 16:36. PENALTIES: Ledyard, Dal (tripping), 3:40; Wiemer, Cal (cross-checking), 9:17; Marshall, Dal (slashing), 12:07. OVERTIME - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Matvichuk, Dal (slashing), 3:24; Lydman, Cal (slashing), 3:24. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- Calgary 13 12 13 1 39 Dallas 8 7 8 3 26 POWER PLAY: Calgary 0 of 5; Dallas 1 of 4. GOALIES: Calgary, Brathwaite 14-16-10 (26 shots-22 saves). Dallas, Turco 13-6-1 (39-35). Referees: Shane Heyer, Mike Leggo. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Thor Nelson. A: 17,001 (17,001).