Stars Lose Modano but Defeat San Jose

The Dallas Stars keep beating the San Jose Sharks and losing key players in the process.

Dallas scored goals on four of 14 power plays, two by Pat Verbeek, and goalkeeper Ed Belfour was sharp Friday night as the Stars lost another center but took a 2-0 lead in their opening-round playoff series with a 5-2 victory at Dallas.

Mike Modano, who just signed a one-year contract worth $6 million, sustained a mild concussion in a second-period collision with San Jose’s Marcus Ragnarsson and did not return.

Modano said he will play in Game 3 of the Western Conference series at San Jose on Sunday.

“I got hit in the back of the head with a stick. I was unconscious for about 30 seconds,” Modano said. “Doctors said my concussion was slight and I will play on Sunday.”

Modano said the way San Jose plays “is really an undisciplined and selfish style. They are taking dumb penalties and not playing smart. They are acting like they are untouchable out there. You can’t win when you’re in the penalty box all night. It’s just stupid.”

Phoenix 7, Detroit 4--The Coyotes tied a franchise record that had stood for eight years with a victory over the Red Wings at Detroit. In the process, they tied their best-of-seven series at 1-1 with the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Rick Tocchet scored twice for Phoenix. Mike Gartner also scored for the Coyotes, who matched the franchise record for playoff goals set in a 7-5 victory over Edmonton in 1990, when they were the Winnipeg Jets.

Sergei Fedorov scored twice for Detroit which is trying to become the first team in six years to repeat as Stanley Cup champion.

Philadelphia 3, Buffalo 2--John LeClair got the Flyers’ first power-play goal on their eighth chance of the game that broke a 2-2 tie late in the third period at Philadelphia.

With Alexei Zhitnik in the penalty box for cross-checking Eric Lindros into the Buffalo bench, a wide-open LeClair jammed in a cross-crease pass from Lindros with 3:32 to play.

The Flyers’ victory evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

Lindros and Chris Gratton scored the other goals for Philadelphia, which got 25 saves from Sean Burke. Dominik Hasek made 35 saves for Buffalo.

New Jersey 3, Ottawa 1--Doug Gilmour personally eased concerns that the Devils were headed for another early playoff exit by scoring two goals and setting up another at East Rutherford, N.J.

Gilmour got the game-winner late in the second period and his third of the series into an empty net with 41 seconds to play. It evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

Boston 4, Washington 3--Darren Van Impe scored his second goal of the game 54 seconds into the second overtime to give the Bruins the victory at Washington and even the series at 1-1.

Van Impe, unchecked in front of the net, put the puck between goaltender Olaf Kolzig’s legs after a pass from Jason Allison.

Allison and Per-Johan Axelsson also scored for the Bruins, while Esa Tikkanen and Calle Johansson scored for Washington.

Colorado 5, Edmonton 2--Peter Forsberg had two goals and three assists to lead the Avalanche at Denver and even the series at 1-1.

Valeri Kamensky also had two goals for Colorado.

Joe Sakic, who missed the series opener while serving a one-game suspension for a knee-on-knee hit on Detroit’s Kris Draper in the final regular-season game, scored a shorthanded goal after Edmonton had cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1 in the second period.

NHL Notes

Edmonton forwards Bill Guerin and Doug Weight won’t face disciplinary action for hits on Colorado’s Peter Forsberg and Rene Corbet, respectively, in Game 1 of their playoff series.