Dallas Still in Charge in West

It was a Wild West showdown in Dallas on Wednesday night, and the Stars showed why they lead the NHL in points.

Dallas got two goals from Joe Nieuwendyk and a goal and two assists from Darryl Sydor in a 3-2 win over Colorado, and in doing so ran its points total to 70 and its record over the Avalanche to 2-0-1.

“We’re like two pit bulls fighting for turf,” Star Coach Ken Hitchcock said. “It’s become a very good rivalry, as good as us and Detroit.”

Detroit is second in points with 66 and Colorado is third with 64.

Those three teams figure to be in the thick of the playoff battle for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Stars wanted to leave a message. Dallas finishes its season series against Colorado on Saturday afternoon in Denver.

“To get this one is huge,” Nieuwendyk said. “We want to stay ahead of them and set the tempo against them. We stuck to our game plan and made them earn their ice.”

Star goalie Ed Belfour stopped 18 of 20 shots for his 24th victory. Dallas killed off a four-minute Avalanche power play early in the third period to preserve a two-goal lead.

Phoenix 6, Vancouver 1--Mike Gartner had two goals and an assist for the Coyotes, who won a fight-filled game at Vancouver and extended the Canucks’ winless streak to seven.

Keith Tkachuk, Dallas Drake and Cliff Ronning each had a goal and an assist for Phoenix. The Canucks are 0-5-2 in their last seven games.

The Coyotes and Canucks combined for 205 minutes in penalties.

San Jose 7, Calgary 1--Tony Granato scored two goals and assisted on two and five other Sharks scored in a win at San Jose.

Marcus Ragnarsson, Jeff Friesen, Mike Rathje, John MacLean and Mike Ricci also scored for the Sharks.

Montreal 4, Boston 2--Patrick Poulin, playing his first game since being acquired from Tampa Bay, scored the game-winning goal at Montreal, breaking a 2-2 tie in the second period when he one-timed Vincent Damphousse’s centering pass from behind Bruin goalie Byron Dafoe.

It also was the first short-handed goal given up by Boston this season.

Washington 3, Tampa Bay 2--Kelly Miller scored with 1:28 to play in overtime and Peter Bondra added two goals for the Capitals, who won at Tampa and sent the Lightning to their seventh consecutive defeat.

Miller’s wrist shot from the slot gave Washington its third triumph in a row.

Buffalo 2, Carolina 1--Dominik Hasek stopped 32 shots for the Sabres, who won at Buffalo and have beaten Carolina four times in five games this season.

Hasek, still looking for his first shutout in January after six in December, faced only five shots in the final period.

Toronto 3, Detroit 0--Felix Potvin made 28 saves for his second shutout of the season and the Maple Leafs won at Detroit, sending the Red Wings to their second loss in as many nights.

Notes

Phoenix right wing Rick Tocchet was suspended, pending a hearing, for his knee-to-knee hit on Edmonton’s Ryan Smyth on Tuesday night. Smyth was operated on for a torn knee ligament and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. . . . New York Islander goaltender Eric Fichaud will miss the rest of the season after surgery on his left shoulder.