Marty Turco and Dallas Stars Hockey

from dallasstars.com

For two rounds of the 2008 playoffs, the Dallas Stars leaned a lot on their power play unit to help produce goals and contribute to several victories, but in the first three games of the Western Conference Finals, that magic seemed to dry up just a bit.

But in Game 4 Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center, the Stars once again got the power play clicking and it provided the deciding goal by Mike Modano, off a nice pass from Sergei Zubov, at 5:35 of the third period en route to a 3-1 triumph over the Red Wings to stave off elimination.

After erupting for six goals in the first two games of the post-season against Anaheim on the way to a franchise-record-tying 10 in that series, the Stars added five more against San Jose in round two, including the series-clinching tally in the fourth overtime of Game 6 by captain Brenden Morrow. 

Heading into the Conference Finals, the Stars’ 15 goals led the NHL, and at 15-for-60, owned a stellar 25 percent conversion rate and ranked tops among the teams remaining in the playoffs.

But through three games of frustration with the extra man against Detroit, the Stars had collected just one goal on 15 opportunities while also allowing a shorthanded goal. After failing to capitalize on their first three chances in the first period Wednesday, the power play came alive just in time with the game on the line in the third period.

“It was huge,” said defenseman Stephane Robidas of the PP unit, which ended up 1-for-4 in Game 4. “Zubie made a nice feed to Mo and it was a big, big goal for us. That’s something that we need to get going, that’s something that’s won us hockey games in the first two rounds. We all know how important special teams, PK and power play, and that’s something that we’ve been pretty good at all year, and it’s something that was lacking in the first three games and tonight, it was much better. We got the winning goal on the power play, so it was huge.”

Coach Dave Tippett pinpointed the power play unit as an area the Stars could improve upon to get back in the series and it came through.

“You look at things happening, what could you do better?” Tippett asked. “Your power play could be better, all of a sudden, boom, it is. That gives you a surge.”

“We’re trying to do the same kind of thing (as in the previous series),” added Stars assistant coach Ulf Dahlen, who is in charge of the man-advantage unit. “We’re looking for momentum and overall in the playoffs, in the first and second series, it really gave us a lot of momentum, but it hasn’t done that a lot in this series so far. The goal was pretty big that we got tonight. The guys are working and a goal like that can really get the whole thing going and that’s what we’re looking for.”

In trying to determine what changed in this round of the playoffs, the Stars acknowledge that the Red Wings’ penalty killing is maybe a little more aggressive than the Ducks and Sharks were, but also that their execution wasn’t quite as good. 

“They’re not killing exactly like the other teams, but it’s a lot of similarities,” Dahlen said. “We just going to keep trying just to look for momentum and usually when you work to get momentum and you get that, good things will happen.”

“We’ve been struggling a little bit on the power play,” Modano said. “It hasn’t been really working out for us as far as the plays and things opening up. They’re really good at anticipating things and shutting down lanes, really clogging things up. And you don’t get many second or third chances on them, too.”
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Anaheim, check. San Jose, check. Get ready Detroit, you’re next on the Dallas Stars playoff hit list.

Captain Brenden Morrow scored 9:03 into the fourth overtime, and Marty Turco made a career-high 61 saves to send the Stars to the Western Conference finals with a dramatic 2-1 win over San Jose in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday night at American Airlines Center. Dallas took the best-of-seven series 4-2 to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.

Antti Miettinen also scored for the Stars, who will be making their fourth conference finals appearance since 1998 after playing until nearly 1:30 Monday morning.

“It’s a heckuva feeling,” Morrow said. “The word to describe it is belief. We have a lot of character and finished it off tonight.”

With San Jose defenseman Brian Campbell in the penalty box after tripping Loui Eriksson, Morrow made sure the series wasn’t going back to San Jose for a Game 7. Standing in the slot, the gritty forward redirected Stephane Robidas‘ pass from the right circle past Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

“That’s vintage Brenden, with the short tap-in,” Turco said. “He is just a warrior, and that’s an understatement. We are so fortunate to have him on this team.”

It was Morrow’s seventh goal of the postseason, and second overtime winner in the series. In the third-longest game in franchise history, Morrow practically willed his team to win when it seemed the Sharks were primed to pull out another come from behind win. The eight-year forward logged an amazing 51 minutes of ice time, and has made a solid case for himself as a legitimate playoff MVP candidate.

“They have the IV’s ready for us right now,” he said.

But Morrow’s heroics would never have been without the stellar goaltending of Turco, who made 22 saves over the final 40 minutes of regulation when the Sharks had the Stars on their heels. He then added 31 more in the 69 minutes of overtime, with many being of the incredible variety.

“Marty stole this one for us and we all were rewarded,” Morrow said.

Morrow helped give the Stars some momentum heading into the extra session, delivering a devastating check on San Jose forward Milan Michalek in the Dallas zone in the waning seconds of the third period. Michalek stayed on the ice for almost five minutes as the period expired, and needed assistance to get off the ice.

The blow was a jolt of energy for the Stars, who were unraveling up to that point. They promptly came out and peppered Nabokov with 18 shots in the first overtime, but were unable to solve the Russian netminder, who finished with 53 saves.

“We knew if we got a chance we’d have to move it around and get them out of position,” said center Mike Modano, who garnered an assist on Miettinen’s goal. “Something has clicked for us, and we are just getting the feeling that things are going well.”

“Our whole team’s effort is just phenomenal right now,” coach Dave Tippett said. “We told the guys before the game that we needed 5-10 percent more, and I felt strange telling Brenden to give us more because he had a series like I’ve never seen before.”

Both clubs thought they had the game won in the first overtime, but Nabokov and Turco weren’t ready to go home.
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from DallasStars.com

An early overtime goal from Joe Pavelski completed the Dallas collapse as the Stars were felled by the Sharks, 3-2, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Game 6 takes place in Dallas on Sunday night.

This is the great Turcolicious song that has been played during the recent playoff games.

 Excellent!!!

Turcolicious.mp3 - Download

from DallasStars.com

A four-game sweep would have been nice, but realistically the Stars weren’t expecting the Sharks to begin summer vacation without a fight. San Jose didn’t win 11 straight down the stretch to surpass Dallas in the Pacific Division standings by accident. This is a big, deep and talented bunch.

The Stars are well aware that the Sharks could be in the driver’s seat if a few bounces would have gone San Jose’s way in the first three games.

“It’s a fine line,’’ Stars center Brad Richards said. “They could be even with us or ahead. We won twice in overtime. So we’re very fortunate to be where we are. But I like where we are. We’re in a great spot.’’

The Stars lost the special-teams battle on Wednesday night, so this series returns to San Jose for Game 5 on Friday night.

San Jose got a second-period shorthanded goal from Patrick Marleau, and then scored the game-winner on a Milan Michalek power-play goal at 3:26 of the third period for a 2-1 victory as the Sharks dodged the four-game sweep.

The Stars know they can win in a hostile environment. They took the first two games of the series in San Jose and are 4-1 on the road in these playoffs.

“We feel like we can win on their ice,’’ Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas said. “That’s for sure. But they’ve shown heart and we have to be ready for a big challenge. We’re happy to be in this position, but we know it’s not over. We have one more to win and it’ll be the toughest one.

You don’t want to give them life. We gave them momentum a little bit. The sooner we can close them out, it’ll be better for us.’’

The Stars have been very good on special teams throughout these playoffs, entering Wednesday night with 13 goals in 49 power-play chances (26.5 percent, third in the league). The Stars’ penalty kill has also been a plus, stopping 30-of-36 opposing power plays (83.3 percent, sixth in the NHL).

But the Sharks were just a little better on special teams in Game 4, converting one-of-six power play chances and killing off all four Stars power plays.

“We have to be a little more disciplined, stay out of the penalty box and make our chances on the power play count,’’ Robidas said. “Special teams have been the story of the playoffs. The games we’ve won and the ones we’ve lost, it’s been a big, big factor. It’s always like that in the playoffs.’’

Dallas was guilty of five stick penalties, and one delay-of-game on Mike Modano that led to the game-winner.

“Both teams played tight hockey,’’ Stars right wing Jere Lehtinen said. “It was a one-goal game. We’ll be all right if we correct our mistakes.’’

The Stars entered the night with a 19-5 playoff edge in the third period and overtime, but this time the Sharks came up with the final-period marker to extend the series.

San Jose, backed into a desperate situation, took control early in the final period. The delay call against Modano for shooting the puck over the boards gave San Jose the man-advantage, and Michalek cashed in off a centering pass from Joe Thornton.

Dallas faced three power plays in the first period, and the Stars’ penalty killers were superb, holding San Jose to a total of one shot on goal. In fact, the Stars had the best scoring chances on the three penalty kills with Evgeni Nabokov having to come with big saves on  Modano and Lehtinen.

But facing all those early power plays took some of the starch out of the Stars’ top-end players, who are also their best penalty killers. Dallas also missed veteran forward Stu Barnes, a top penalty killer who sat out the game after getting his bell rung in Game 3.

“We took too many penalties,’’ Richards said. “It was a parade to the box to start the game. If we can control that, we’ll be okay.’’

San Jose had the first five shots of the second period, but the Sharks also were guilty of a huge error when Devin Setoguchi flipped a blind breakout pass up the middle of his zone that ended up on the stick of Lehtinen, who buried the chance from the slot at 5:25.

Richards hit the corner of the cage with a blast that nearly gave Dallas a 2-0 lead, but the Sharks seized momentum seconds later when Marleau turned Zubov’s errant pass into a breakaway shorthanded goal at 9:19 to tie it at 1.

Zubov also had a turnover in Game 3 that led to a Marleau shorthanded goal, but Zubov scored later in that game to atone for that miscue. Not this time.

“Those are uncharacteristic mistakes by Zubie,’’ Stars coach Dave Tippett said. “He’s got to clean those up.’’

The Stars fly to San Jose on Thursday in a quick turnaround for the third game in four nights.

“Winning the first three and you’re at home, you like to close it out,’’ Stars goaltender Marty Turco said. “Back to back was tough on both clubs. But I don’t think we ever thought we were going to win four straight against these guys. We just didn’t have the magic tonight.’’

The Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in OT.  The Dallas Stars now lead the series 3-0.  Game 4 will take place Wednesday Night at 8pm CST in Dallas TX at the American Airlines Center.

 GO STARS!!!!!!