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Stars shut out Coyotes, move into tie for 1st

Associated Press

PHOENIX -Ed Belfour made 19 saves for his 48th career shutout and the Dallas Stars beat the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0 last night, leaving the teams tied for the Pacific Division lead going into the All-Star break.

Belfour, who has won seven of his last eight starts, has three shutouts this season and is the career leader among active goaltenders.

Belfour's chances were aided when Phoenix's Shane Doan was handed a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for checking Richard Jackman into the boards from behind with three minutes remaining.

The Coyotes managed only three shots on goal in the third period.

Mike Modano scored and Brendan Morrow added a goal and an assist for the Stars, who won for the sixth time in seven games and snapped the Coyotes' five-game home winning streak. Phoenix had not lost at home since dropping a 5-4 decision to Edmonton on Jan. 1.

Despite the loss, the Coyotes entered the three-day break with a share of the division lead for the first time in franchise history. Phoenix and Dallas each have 65 points.

Morrow did most of the damage single-handedly in the first period.

Just over a minute into the game, he deflected Teppo Numminen's pass off the defenseman's stick across the front of the crease. Morrow gained control of the puck to the right of the net. Bob Essensa stopped the first shot, but Morrow scored on the rebound to give Dallas a 1-0 lead.

Morrow also had a hand in the Stars' second goal at 15:51 of the first period. Morrow grabbed the puck out of the air to the left of the crease, dropped it onto his stick and shot from close range.

Essensa again made the initial save, but Modano took the rebound to the left of the net, circled back to the left faceoff circle and flipped a quick wrist shot over the Essensa's outstretched glove for his team-leading 22nd goal.

The Coyotes' best scoring chance came midway through the second period when a Dallas bench minor for too many men and a delay penalty on Belfour gave Phoenix a two-man advantage for 1:09. But Belfour, who just over a minute earlier stopped Jyrki Lumme on a two-on-one rush, stopped both shots he faced to preserve the shutout.