Hull Scores Key Goals, Stars End Losing Streak

Brett Hull’s second goal of the third period, a power-play slap shot with 1 minute 58 seconds remaining, broke a tie and the Dallas Stars went on to a 6-4 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night at Phoenix.

It ended a three-game losing streak for the defending Stanley Cup champion, which also got two goals from Guy Carbonneau, including an empty-netter with two seconds remaining.

Phoenix, which outshot Dallas, 22-10, through two periods, blew a 3-1 lead and lost its second consecutive game and first at home this season.

Hull and Jamie Wright scored 21 seconds apart to forge a 3-3 tie 1:28 into the third period.

With the score, 4-4, the Coyotes’ Rick Tocchet was called for high-sticking with 2:43 to play and Hull scored the game-winner on a one-timer from the left faceoff circle. It was his sixth goal of the season and No. 592 of his career.

Washington 5, Toronto 3--Chris Simon scored a fluke goal with 11:52 left to break a 3-3 tie at Washington and the Capitals held on to end the Maple Leafs’ five-game winning streak.

It was the most goals scored against Toronto this season, and it was done by a team averaging only 2.36 a game.

The Maple Leafs came in with the best record in the NHL, a league-best 1.63 goals-against average and an unbeaten streak that stretched back to mid-October.

The Capitals had a 3-0 lead in the first period, but Toronto came back to tie it a three-goal second period. Then Simon put Washington ahead to stay when his shot from the side of the net bounced off the skate of Toronto defenseman Bryan Berard and into the net.

Simon scored the clincher in more conventional fashion with 1:47 to go, connecting from between the circles after taking a pass from Joe Sacco.

Philadelphia 3, San Jose 1--Power-play goals by Daymond Langkow and Eric Lindos helped the Flyers build a 3-0 lead after two periods and they held on to defeat the Sharks at San Jose.

Philadelphia outshot San Jose, 32-16.

Colorado 4, New York Rangers 1--Adam Deadmarsh scored two power-play goals at Denver and Chris Dingman had an assist and his first goal of the season as the Avalanche kept the Rangers winless in their last seven games.

Milan Hejduk got his 10th goal in the last 11 games and Chris Drury had three assists for Colorado, which converted three of five power-play chances. Patrick Roy stopped 25 shots for his 418th career victory as the Avalanche ended a three-game home losing streak to the Rangers.

Detroit 3, Carolina 2--Igor Larionov’s third-period goal was the difference as the Red Wings ended a three-game winless streak by defeating the Hurricanes at Detroit. The Red Wings were 0-2-1 in their previous three games.

Chicago 3, Nashville 1--Eric Daze scored twice and goaltender Steve Passmore made 17 saves at Nashville as the Blackhawks continued their domination over the Predators.

The Blackhawks are 5-1-2 all-time against the second-year Predators. Over the same period, Chicago is only 27-46-4 against the rest of the league.

The loss was a record fifth in a row for Nashville.

St. Louis 2, Edmonton 1--Pierre Turgeon’s power-play goal with 35 seconds left in the second period gave the Blues a victory at Edmonton.

Vancouver 3, Florida 2--Brad May scored the go-ahead goal, breaking a 2-2 tie late in the second period, as the Canucks defeated the Panthers at Vancouver.

Pavel Bure of the Panthers did not play against his former team because he broke his left little finger Wednesday night. He will be out at least two weeks.

Around the League

Edmonton Oiler forward Rem Murray could be sidelined three months because of a sprained ligament in his right knee. He suffered the injury Wednesday night against Florida. . . . Golf executive Tod Leiweke, 39, the younger brother of King President Tim Leiweke, was named president of the Minnesota Wild, the NHL’s latest expansion team. Tod Leiweke was executive director of First Tee, the charitable arm of the World Golf Foundation.