Game Recap

DALLAS 3, EDMONTON 2 DALLAS (AP) - Brett Hull is erasing the memory of a horrible regular season with a torrid start to the postseason. Hull, whose goal ended the Stanley Cup Finals last season, closed out the Dallas Stars' first-round victory over the Edmonton Oilers by blasting in the winning goal in a 3-2 game Friday night. "I've been fortunate that a few shots have gone in," said Hull, who led Dallas with three goals and six points in the five-game series. "We've got a lot of guys trying to pick up the slack." The Stars opened their title defense with an incredibly balanced scoring attack: 11 players scored their 14 goals in the series. Mike Modano was the only other player with more than one. Jamie Langenbrunner and defenseman Derian Hatcher were the new scorers Friday. Langenbrunner gave Dallas a 1-0 lead by scoring on a power play early in the second period, then Hatcher made it 2-1 just 87 seconds after the Oilers tied it later in the period. Edmonton forced another tie 1:03 into the third period when a shot from behind the net by Jim Dowd caromed off Hatcher's skate and went by goaltender Ed Belfour before he knew what happened. The winning goal was set up when Joe Nieuwendyk left the puck for Hull in the high slot. Hull, who has more career playoff goals (80) than any player participating in this postseason, wound up and drilled it to the right of Edmonton's Tommy Salo. "That's what I'm supposed to do," Hull said. "That's my job. I live to score goals." By winning in five games, the Stars got the next-best thing to a sweep: three home victories and a split on the road. They desperately wanted to avoid another trip to Edmonton's raucous Skyreach Centre and will get some extra rest before learning their second-round opponent, either Colorado or San Jose. "I really did not want to jump on a plane tomorrow," Hatcher said. "We wanted to spend Easter at home." The Oilers will be going home again wondering how to beat the Stars -- or, maybe, trying to figure out a way to avoid them. This is the third straight year Dallas has eliminated Edmonton from the playoffs. The Oilers have lost 12 straight games at Reunion Arena. "We've got to get better as a team and an organization because we've got a couple of years of not getting to the next level," coach Kevin Lowe said. "We need to tweak it here and there." Said defenseman Tom Poti: "They stick to their game plan for the whole 60 minutes. As a team we have to learn from that." The Stars won their seventh straight knockout game since 1998. Belfour, celebrating his 35th birthday, made 24 saves as he upped his record to 14-2 in games that can end a playoff series. Salo, who also stopped 24 shots, fell to 1-8 in the playoffs -- with all the games against Dallas. DALLAS STARS 3, Edmonton Oilers 2 1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL --- --- --- ----- Edmonton 0 1 1 2 Dallas 0 2 1 3 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Salo, Edm, served by Guerin, (delay of game), 1:46; Brown, Edm (high-sticking), 14:51; Brown, Edm, double minor, (high-sticking), 17:04; Morrow, Dal (holding stick), 17:52. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Langenbrunner 1 (Nieuwendyk, Modano), 5:35 (pp). 2, Edmonton, Marchant 1 (Laraque, Smith), 12:45. 3, Dallas, Hatcher 1 (Modano, Hull), 14:12. PENALTIES: Marshall, Dal (interference), 2:29; Guerin, Edm (goalie interference), 3:31; Weight, Edm (slashing), 4:27; Nieuwendyk, Dal (holding), 14:59. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 4, Edmonton, Dowd 2, 1:07. 5, Dallas, Hull 3 (Nieuwendyk, Cote), 14:58. PENALTIES: Cote, Dal (interference), 6:37. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- Edmonton 9 8 9 26 Dallas 12 8 7 27 POWER PLAY: Edmonton 0 of 3; Dallas 1 of 6. GOALIES: Edmonton, Salo 1-4 (27 shots-24 saves). Dallas, Belfour 4-1 (26-24). Referee: Kerry Fraser, Dennis LaRue. Linesmen: Wayne Bonney, Jay Sharrers. A: 17,001 (17,001).