Modano Scores 2 Goals in Star Win

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) _ Marty Turco skates pretty well for a goalie, just not well enough to beat forward Richard Park to a loose puck. <br/><br/>Turco and the Stars were able to laugh about the goalie's

Tuesday, November 27th 2007, 7:29 am

By: News On 6

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) _ Marty Turco skates pretty well for a goalie, just not well enough to beat forward Richard Park to a loose puck.

Turco and the Stars were able to laugh about the goalie's gaffe that put them behind the New York Islanders early, especially after Mike Modano scored twice to lift Dallas to its sixth straight win.

``Normally I would just take him out, but I thought I still had a chance,'' Turco said after the 3-2 overtime win Monday night. ``You win some, you lose some.''

Modano made it a fantastic finish for the Stars when he scored 35 seconds into overtime. Turco lost the race to the speedy Park, but left the ice as a winner anyway.

With the game scoreless and the Islanders playing short-handed in the second period, Park raced alone after a loose puck that slid toward the Dallas end. Turco, never shy about leaving his crease, skated out toward the charging Park but didn't get to the puck in time. Park corralled it above the right circle, moved around Turco and stared at an empty net.

Park controlled the puck at the goal line, worked away from defenseman Sergei Zubov, who tried to cover for Turco, and tucked in a backhand at 9:07.

``I don't know if I ever got walked on like that,'' said Turco, who finished with 23 saves. ``We had a little chuckle when I got back to the bench.''

It was almost the second skating blunder of the night for Turco, who got caught in the first period while playing a puck along the left-wing boards. He had to scramble back to the net after the Islanders provided Dallas with some anxious moments.

``He's a much better goalie in the net than out of the net,'' Stars coach Dave Tippett said. ``That's why he plays goal and not defense.''

In other NHL games Monday, it was Boston 6, Philadelphia 3; Buffalo 3, Washington 1; and Edmonton 3, Columbus 1.

New York didn't score on its 12 shots in the first period. The only pucks that got past Turco overall were the one by Park and Miroslav Satan's power-play tally that tied it 2-2 with 2:38 left in regulation.

Modano won it when he knocked in a rebound from the slot of Stephane Robidas' shot to give the Stars their first win over the Islanders since March 23, 2001 (1-5-0-1).

Jeff Halpern had given Dallas a 2-1 lead in the third period with his 100th NHL goal, but that was erased by Satan's tally.

``We fought all game and did a pretty good job staying with our game plan,'' Islanders forward Mike Comrie said. ``We got a good power-play goal at the end, but it's disappointing when you give up that point.''

Dallas' slow start is a thing of the past, and the Pacific Division-leading Stars (13-7-4) are showing signs of being the good team they were expected to be.

The Stars have outscored opponents 20-7 during their winning streak and have earned points in eight straight games (6-0-2).

Dallas has taken the first two of a six-game road trip, already improving after escaping Madison Square Garden with a 3-2 win Sunday over the New York Rangers when they were decidedly outplayed and outshot.

``That's what has been our M.O., to not let us get too down,'' Turco said. ``Every game recently we get better as the game goes along. You are going to win more games than you're going to lose when you play like that.''

Modano, who has eight goals this season and 515 in 18 NHL seasons, got Dallas into a 1-1 tie in the second period just 2:30 after Park's goal.

Turco made only his second start in six games as Mike Smith has staked his claim to Dallas' No. 1 goalie spot. Turco earned his second straight victory following an 0-1-2 stretch in which he allowed 14 goals.

``The majority (of our games) have been ugly,'' Modano said. ``The goalies have been playing well for us, and that's a big part as to why we're winning. It doesn't seem to change. We're outshot, outworked, but we still find ways to win. I'd rather play (poorly) and win than well and lose.''

New York hasn't scored more than two goals in nine consecutive games, going 4-4-1, and has an NHL-low 51 goals.

Sabres 3, Capitals 1

Jochen Hecht had two goals and an assist to lead visiting Buffalo to its season-high fifth straight victory.

Hecht scored Buffalo's first two goals, with the second snapping a 1-1 tie in the second period. He also assisted on Jason Pominville's insurance goal.

Washington had won two consecutive games since Bruce Boudreau took over as interim coach.

Bruins 6, Flyers 3

At Philadelphia, Glen Murray scored two goals and Marc Savard added a goal and three assists to lead Boston to its fifth win in seven games.

Glen Metropolit, Peter Schaefer, and Chuck Kobasew also scored for the Bruins, who built leads of 4-0 and 5-2. Rookie goalie Tuukka Rask made 20 saves for his second win in two starts.

Mike Knuble, Mike Richards, and Scottie Upshall scored power-play goals for the Flyers.

Oilers 3, Blue Jackets 1

Andrew Cogliano scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, Dwayne Roloson stopped 36 shots, and host Edmonton won its second straight.

Kyle Brodziak and Ales Hemsky also scored for the Oilers, who finished its season-high six-game homestand 3-3. Edmonton improved to 10-13-1 and moved five points behind first-place Minnesota and two behind fourth-place Calgary in the Northwest Division.

Ron Hainsey scored for Columbus, which snapped a two-game winning streak in the opener of a three-game road trip. The Blue Jackets remained tied with Chicago and St. Louis for second place in the Central, six points behind Detroit.