LOS ANGELES (AP) - Not matter where or when they play, the Los
Angeles Kings can't seem to solve the Dallas Stars. Darryl Sydor
and Brett Hull scored second-period power-play goals Thursday
night in a 5-2 victory, the Stars' 10th straight over the Kings.
"Our confidence level playing against them comes from the fact
that we don't feel nervous protecting a one-goal lead like you
sometimes are against other teams," Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock
said. "For whatever reason, we're not nervous playing this team
on the road."
Mike Modano and Blake Sloan each had a goal and two assists and
Richard Matvichuk assisted on three goals as the defending
Stanley Cup champions extended their unbeaten streak against the
Kings to 21 games (15-0-6). The streak matches Dallas' longest
unbeaten stretch against any opponent. The Stars were 17-0-4
against the Kings from March 31, 1970 through Dec. 11, 1973. The
last Kings victory against Dallas was a 3-2 decision on April 6,
1995 at the Forum.
"This is a team that we struggle against," defenseman Garry
Galley said. "It's inexplainable. The only thing we can explain
is the way we play, and we didn't play well enough to win
tonight. We come out and, for two periods, we don't compete at
the level we need to in order to beat a team like Dallas."
Galley scored the Kings's first goal, Marko Tuomainen added a
short-handed goal and Sean O'Donnell had two assists.
Dallas, which also got a goal and assist from Brenden Morrow, has
won 39 consecutive games when scoring at least three goals.
Jamie Storr stopped Modano on a breakaway 8 1/2 minutes into the
first period, keeping the game scoreless until Sydor's power-play
goal at 3:18 of the second. Sergei Zubov's one-timer from just
inside the blue line hit Morrow in front, but Sydor -- standing
behind the net -- was able to reach around the right post and get
his stick on the puck as it lay in the crease behind Storr.
"It was just a fluky goal," said Sydor, whose scored his sixth
goal and second in 18 games against his former team. "I was able
to be in the right spot at the right time and was just able to
give the puck a little more momentum."
The Kings, who have allowed at least one power-play goal in 13 of
15 games, surrendered another one after Aki Berg was sent off for
holding. Hull carried the puck unchecked from the left boards to
the slot and sent a 20-foot wrist shot past Storr for his 16th
goal and 602nd of his career, ending a six-game drought. Kirk
Muller assisted on the goal for his 900th NHL point.
Dallas Stars 5, LOS ANGELES KINGS 2
1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL
--- --- --- -----
Dallas 0 2 3 5
Los Angeles 0 0 2 2
FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Marshall, Dal, major
(fighting), 1:17; O'Donnell, LA, minor-major-misconduct
(instigator, fighting), 1:17; R.Blake, LA (interference), 4:43;
Lukowich, Dal (tripping), 7:52; Sydor, Dal (roughing), 14:39;
Barrie, LA (roughing), 14:39.
SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Sydor 6 (Morrow, Zubov), 3:18
(pp). 2, Dallas, Hull 16 (Muller, Matvichuk), 13:55 (pp).
PENALTIES: Johnson, LA (hooking), 2:24; C.Murray, Dal, double
minor (cross-checking, roughing), 5:23; R.Blake, LA (roughing),
5:23; Gavey, Dal (slashing), 10:26; Berg, LA (holding), 13:04;
Modano, Dal (hooking), 15:22.
THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 3, Dallas, Sloan 4 (Modano, Matvichuk),
3:17. 4, Los Angles, Galley 5 (Barrie, O'Donnell), 3:40. 5, Los
Angeles, Tuomainen 7 (O'Donnell, Laperriere), 7:36 (sh). 6,
Dallas, Modano 17 (Sloan), 14:49. 7, Dallas, Morrow 5 (Modano,
Sloan), 18:49. PENALTIES: Barrie, LA (roughing), 6:49; Morrow,
Dal (holding), 9:16.
SHOTS ON GOAL
1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
Dallas 9 9 9 27
Los Angeles 7 12 12 31
POWER PLAY: Dallas 2 of 5; Los Angeles 0 of 3. GOALIES: Dallas,
Belfour 18-13-4 (31 shots-29 saves). Los Angeles, Storr 9-7-3
(27-22).
Referee: Don Van Massenhoven. Linesmen: Wayne Bonney, Troy
Sartison.
A: 14,369 (18,118).