Chicago Blackhawks 6, Dallas Stars 3

by Mark Stepneski of Andrew's Stars Page

DALLAS — Thursday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks was a good example of the Dallas Stars' season as a whole. There were glimpses of how good this team can be when it plays well and examples how bad things can go when inconsistency creeps into their game. Inconsistency won out Thursday and the Stars lost 6-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks at the American Airlines Center.

"We had a great start and dictated a lot of the play, our power play kept us in it and then we shot ourselves in the foot and couldn't catch up," said Stars coach Dave Tippett.

The Stars, who are 2-5-1 in their last eight games, lost for the 12th time in 18 games (6-9-3) this season and remained in 14th place in the Western Conference.

The Stars started this game very strong, rolling out an impressive first period, dominating Chicago and taking an early lead on a Brenden Morrow goal.

But it was only 1-0 thanks to some superb netminding by Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin and the Blackhawks were able to negate all the momentum the Stars had built in that first period when Patrick Kane scored with 37 seconds left in the first to tie the game at 1-1.

"We didn't like the way we started the game," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "We were fortunate to be in it. But those goals late in a period are big goals."

Big goals for the teams that score them and back breakers for the team that surrenders them. The Stars surrendered two of them when this game was still on the line.

There was the Kane goal that tied it late in the first and then after the Stars had overcome 2-1 and 3-2 deficits in the second period they surrendered another goal in the final minute. This time it was Chicago rookie Kris Versteeg, who skated down the left boards and then on net to score a power play goal with 30 seconds left in the period to put Chicago up 4-3. That goal would hold up as the game-winning goal.

"Those goals were back breakers and those are the breakdowns we have been having this year. It makes us keep coming from behind, which is tough," said Stars center Mike Modano, who had a goal and an assist.

It was another night where the Stars had some areas working, but had another area cancel it out. That was the case with special teams. The Stars scored on the power play and tallied another goal one second after a power play expired. But they gave up two power play goals on the night.

"We've got to be at top form every night and if we're not that's the result you're going to get," said Tippett. "The games we've had success in we've been able to push all the way through. That's when your goaltender is strong, your special teams are strong and the little parts of the game are all there. Tonight we didn't have that."

The Stars, who had been limiting the goals against recently, gave up five or more goals in a game for the eighth time this season. Goalie Marty Turco gave up five goals on 29 shots.

The Stars failed at another chance to win consecutive games for the first time this season and for the first time in the regular season since late February of last season.

"We need to put a few games together and build some momentum," said Modano. "It's been a long time since we have allowed this many goals, and that's frustrating."

There was enough frustration that the Stars held a team meeting following Thursday's loss.

"That's in the locker room," center Brad Richards said when asked about the meeting. "We're frustrated right now. We don't like what's going on. We feel we can win and we're trying to find answers."

After entering the second period tied at 1-1 the Stars never saw the lead again. They were able to tie the game on goals by Modano and James Neal after falling behind 2-1 and 3-2, but after Versteeg put Chicago ahead 4-3 late in the second period Chicago was able to extend the lead to 5-3 on a Martin Havlat goal at 6:40 of the third. Kane's empty net goal with 16 seconds remaining in the game and Chicago's third goal in the final minute of a period, rounded out the scoring.

The Blackhawks, who got a goal and two assists from Versteeg and two goals from Kane, have opened their current six-game road trip with two straight wins.

"We're really coming on, playing great on the road," said Versteeg.

The Stars, on the other hand, lost for the fifth time in seven home games, falling to 2-3-2 at the American Airlines Center.

"It's real frustrating," Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas said. "We had high expectations, but you look at the standings and we're at the bottom. With the talent we have, that's unacceptable."

Notes: Stars captain Brenden Morrow suffered an undisclosed injury in the third period and did not play the final six minutes of the game. "He missed a couple shifts the end. We'll see," said Stars coach Dave Tippett. "He hasn't seen the doctors yet." ... Defenseman Darryl Sydor played his first game since being acquired from Pittsburgh. He played 19:32 and was a minus-two in the game. James Neal, called up from Manitoba of the AHL, played 14:34 and scored his third goal of the season.