This Time, Stars Able to Slow Red Wings

The Dallas Stars made the most of another chance against Western Conference-leading Detroit.

Joe Nieuwendyk scored two goals, the second while falling to the ice, as host Dallas won, 3-2, Wednesday night to end the Red Wings’ six-game unbeaten streak and make up for a 5-2 loss at Detroit four days earlier.

“We played the way we had to play to beat this team,” Dallas Coach Ken Hitchcock said. “We didn’t like the feeling we had about ourselves and we changed it. How you come out of the rough and ugly is how you build your team.”

Nieuwendyk made a backhanded shot while falling down, and the puck slid through the legs of Dominik Hasek 5 minutes 35 seconds into the third period for a 3-1 Star lead. He celebrated his 18th goal while sliding on both knees toward the boards.

The Red Wings had lost only once their previous 12 games, 3-2, in overtime at Nashville on Dec. 29. The Stars moved within a point of Pacific Division-leading San Jose but are still seventh in the Western Conference.

Columbus 2, New York Rangers 0--Tyler Wright and Grant Marshall scored goals and Marc Denis stopped 31 shots for his first shutout in a Blue Jacket uniform. The shutout was the fourth of Denis’ career.

The Blue Jackets won their fourth in a row at home.

Montreal 2, Washington 0--Jose Theodore stopped 28 shots and Jan Bulis and Patrice Brisebois scored second-period goals to lead the Canadiens at Montreal.

Chicago 3, Florida 0--Alex Zhamnov and Michael Nylander scored 4:36 apart in the third period to seal the Blackhawks’ victory at Sunrise, Fla.

Jocelyn Thibault stopped 16 shots for his fifth shutout of the season and 26th of his career.