Friday, Feb. 23 8:30pm ET
Morrow's three points lead Stars
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BOX SCORE
DALLAS (AP) – Joe Nieuwendyk is a big fan of the 4-on-4 overtime
concept, something the Dallas Stars center took advantage of to
score the winning goal Friday night.
Nieuwendyk scored one minute into the extra period to keep the
Stars unbeaten in their last seven games against Boston with a 5-4
victory.
|  | | Stars goalie Ed Belfour, makes one of his 23 saves on Boston's Sergei Samsonov on Friday. |
Linemate Brenden Morrow skated up the left side into the Boston
zone on a 2-on-2 and fed a perfect goalmouth pass to Nieuwendyk,
who skated hard to the net along the right side. He directed his
24th goal past Bruins goaltender Peter Skudra.
"I love it," Nieuwendyk said of the wide-open style encouraged
by having only eight skaters on the ice in overtime. "It turns
into a little like river hockey where you get the turnover and go.
You've already got the one point, so you've got nothing to lose."
Morrow had two goals, but his biggest contribution came on
Nieuwendyk's winner.
"I kind of knew he was going to be there," said Morrow. "I
saw Joe had a step on the defense, so I gave it to him."
Skudra said he didn't know Nieuwendyk was barreling toward the
net until it was too late.
"I didn't see him coming in the back door," Skudra said.
"He's a great player who goes hard to the net all the time. He has
a great scoring touch."
Nieuwendyk has four goals and two assists in his last three
games. Once again, Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said Nieuwendyk was
the best player on the ice.
"It's because he's fighting hard for his space and playing
tough," said Hitchcock. "The scoring is the result of those
things. He's a dominant player."
Brett Hull scored his 639th career goal and 29th of the season
on a second-period power play as the Stars improved to 7-2-1 in
their last 10 games.
Darryl Sydor added a third-period power play goal for Dallas,
5-0-2 in its last seven meetings with the Bruins.
Mike Knuble, Kyle McLaren, Bill Guerin and Joe Thornton scored
for the Bruins, who lost their fourth in a row despite 10
power-play opportunities. McLaren and Thornton connected on the
power play.
Dallas was 2-for-8 on the power play. The combined 18 power
plays awarded by referees Bernard DeGrace and Tim Peel were the
second-highest total in an NHL game this season. Dallas and
Colorado combined for 19 on Oct. 4.
"We all didn't have a good night, that's all I'll say,"
Hitchcock said of the officiating. "I can't even comment on what
they do."
Of the wild game, Hitchcock said, "This was an Italian
spaghetti western. There was the good, the bad and the ugly. It had
it all."
Sydor gave Dallas a 3-2 lead 15 seconds after the start of the
third period on a shot from beyond the right circle that got
through Skudra. Morrow scored from the slot with 16:07 left.
But the Bruins rallied for two goals over a span of 5:13 to tie
the game at 4. Guerin got his 32nd and Thornton added his 21st on a
power play with 9:49 remaining in regulation.
Boston, an 8-2 loser at Colorado on Wednesday night, came out
more focused. Knuble scored from in front of the net 1:59 after the
opening faceoff, and McLaren made it 2-0 with 5.1 seconds left in
the period on a 55-foot slap shot.
Dallas came back in the second period to tie the game at 2.
Morrow scored his first of the night, then Hull tied it on a
one-timer from the left circle while the Stars held a 4-on-3
skating advantage.
Game notes
The Stars honored franchise leading scorer Mike Modano in
pre-game ceremonies. Modano surpassed Neal Broten on Feb. 14 in a
4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Broten was on hand to honor
his former teammate. ... Modano assisted on Morrow's goal to give
him 873 career points. Broten had 867 points during his career with
the Minnesota-Dallas franchise. ... Modano sustained a slight
concussion in Wednesday night's 6-2 victory over Minnesota, but
received medical clearance and was back in the lineup. ... Boston
is 1-4-0 over the current stretch of six straight road games.
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NHL Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
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Phoenix 7
Buffalo 3
Carolina 3
New Jersey 2
Washington 3
Montreal 1
Pittsburgh 6
NY Rangers 4
Detroit 4
St. Louis 2
Chicago 1
Atlanta 0
Dallas 5
Boston 4
Colorado 4
Minnesota 1
San Jose 3
Anaheim 1
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