Stars’ Lehtonen shuts the door on Wings
Posted February 24, 2011 11:35 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT — Kari Lehtonen stopped 38 shots to lead the Dallas Stars past the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Thursday night.
Mike Ribeiro, Loui Eriksson, Krystofer Barch and Jamie Langenbrunner had the goals for Dallas, which had lost five straight and was in a 2-10-1 slump. The Stars fell from one of the top spots in the Western Conference to a tie for last place in its division entering the game.
Tomas Holmstrom scored a power-play goal with 3:31 left, allowing Detroit to avoid getting shut out for the third time this month. Jimmy Howard had 21 saves.
The Central Division-leading Red Wings have lost consecutive games, both at home, after winning five straight.
Dallas got a boost from the return of Barch and Adam Burish after both missed the previous eight games with facial injuries.
Detroit had a lacklustre start and Dallas took advantage, scoring twice late in the first. That included Eriksson’s short-handed goal with 23 seconds left in the period, before taking a 3-0 lead midway through the game.
After Holmstrom scored, Detroit pulled Howard to add an extra skater and that led to Langenbrunner’s goal into an empty net.
NOTES — Dallas scratched D Nicklas Grossman (hip) and C Brad Richards (concussion). … The Red Wings honoured Todd Bertuzzi for playing in his 1,000th game earlier this month, giving him a Rolex watch. … Dallas, which has won four of its past six games in Detroit and eight of the past 12 overall, won the season series 3-1 against the Red Wings. … Eriksson had two goals and five points in the previous three games against Detroit this season. … Dallas is 24-3-2 when scoring first this season. … The Red Wings expect to have Mike Modano (wrist) back Saturday at Buffalo and hope Valtteri Filppula (knee) can return in that game.
