Game Recap

EDMONTON 4, DALLAS 3 DALLAS (AP) - By absorbing more punishment than they gave, the Edmonton Oilers are heading home with a chance to take control of their first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars. Daniel Cleary, Rem Murray and Anson Carter scored power-play goals as Edmonton took out the frustrations of a 13-game losing streak in Dallas, beating the Stars 4-3 Saturday and tying their first-round series at one game apiece. The teams left immediately after the game for 1,700-mile flights to Edmonton, where the series resumes Sunday evening. The Oilers see the trip home as their chance to bury Dallas, which has eliminated them from the last three postseasons. "This was the game we really, really wanted to focus on to give us home-ice advantage," Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish said. "We've played very well at Skyreach Center all year long and we know what an advantage our fans will give us." The Oilers came out slugging, but trailed 1-0 after only 26 seconds on a goal by Mike Keane. They stuck to their hard-hitting game plan and wound up luring the Stars into being more combative than the officials allowed. Dallas, which hadn't lost in 14 games and had won 13 of the last 15 playoff games against Edmonton, committed seven penalties in the first period and 13 for the game. The Stars had just five in Game 1, which they won 2-1 in overtime. Dallas fans turned ugly, too, throwing freebie towels, programs and drinks onto the ice to protest a high-sticking penalty against Brett Hull with 2:32 left. More junk was hurled after the buzzer, most of it aimed at the Oilers. "We retaliated a little and that's not our game," defenseman Darryl Sydor said. "We've got to be more disciplined." The Oilers scored on three of their first six power plays and finished 3-of-10. Edmonton was 0-for-2 with the man advantage in Game 1. Despite the soft, early goal by Keane, Oilers goaltender Tommy Salo rebounded to win for only the second time in 11 playoff games. He made 22 saves for his first career victory in Reunion Arena. Goalie Ed Belfour, who had 27 stops, typified Dallas' lack of composure by getting penalized twice in a span of 3:35 midway through the first period. "We made it hard for him to see the puck today," said Edmonton's Mike Grier. Belfour's first penalty, for tripping Grier, started the power play that resulted in Cleary's goal, which tied the game at 1. The second penalty was for roughing Georges Laraque immediately after he scored to make it 2-2. That goal came 22 seconds after Joe Nieuwendyk scored for Dallas on a power play. Carter scored in the second period to extend the lead to 4-2. Sydor got the Stars within 4-3, but Salo came up with many big saves in the third period to seal Edmonton's first win in Dallas since May 9, 1998. "Tommy has played well all season. For him to pick it up in the playoffs is a big lift for us," Edmonton's Ryan Smyth said. Edmonton Oilers 4, DALLAS STARS 3 1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL --- --- --- ----- Edmonton 3 1 0 4 Dallas 2 0 1 3 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Keane 1 (Muller, Sydor), :26. 2, Edmonton, Cleary 1 (Brewer, Weight), 9:37 (pp). 3, Dallas, Nieuwendyk 1 (Morrow), 11:12 (pp). 4, Edmonton, Laraque 1 (Poti, Smyth), 11:34. 5, Edmonton, Murray 1 (Niinimaa, Weight), 18:14 (pp). PENALTIES: Smith, Edm (holding), 4:09; Belfour, Dal, served by Donato (tripping), 8:59; Smith, Edm (roughing), 11:06, Laraque, Edm (roughing), 11:34; Hatcher, Dal (roughing), 11:34; Belfour, Dal, served by MacLean (roughing), 11:34; Ledyard, Dal (high-sticking), 13:36; Cleary, Edm (roughing), 17:21; Smyth, Edm (roughing), 17:21; MacLean, Dal (roughing), 17:21; Hatcher, Dal (roughing), 17:21; Matvichuk, Dal (elbowing), 17:45. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 6, Edmonton, Carter 1 (Poti, Brewer), 13:32 (pp). PENALTIES: Cleary, Edm (interference), 4:28; Morrow, Dal (roughing), 5:29; Brewer, Edm (hooking), 8:19; Van Allen, Dal (tripping), 11:41; Zupov, Dal (slashing), 15:17; Morrow, Dal (roughing), 19:03; Cleary, Edm (interference), 19:34. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 7, Dallas, Sydor 1 (Zubov, Hull), 1:18 (pp). PENALTIES: Murray, Edm (hooking), 9:46; Van Allen, Dal (tripping), 12:21; Hull, Dal (high-sticking), 17:28. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- Edmonton 16 10 5 31 Dallas 6 8 11 25 POWER PLAY: Edmonton 3 of 10; Dallas 2 of 6. GOALIES: Edmonton, Salo 1-1 (25 shots-22 saves). Dallas, Belfour 1-1 (31-27). Referees: Mike Leggo, Kerry Fraser. Linesmen: Kevin Collins, Brad Kovachik. A: 17,001 (17,001).