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National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Dallas 4, Phoenix 3
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Referees: Eric Furlatt, Frederic L'Ecuyer
Linesmen: Tim Nowak, Jonny Murray
Attendance: 17012

STARS 4, COYOTES 3 (SO):
Mike Ribeiro scored the only goal of the shootout and assisted on all three regulation goals as host Dallas moved into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.

Michael Ryder had a pair of goals and Loui Eriksson added a goal and two assists as the Stars survived blowing a two-goal, third-period lead to move one point in front of Phoenix atop the division.

Kari Lehtonen made 30 saves and turned aside all three shots in the shootout to help Dallas snap its two-game losing streak. Lehtonten made a pair of spectacular saves in overtime to save the game.

Lauri Korpikoski, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Ray Whitney scored for Phoenix, which scored twice in the third period for the second straight game to earn the single point.

Eriksson gave Dallas a 1-0 lead just 2:12 into the game on a wrister from the right faceoff dot, but Korpikoski answered three minutes later with a one-timer from the high slot.

Ryder beat Mike Smith twice in a penalty-filled second period - his 12th and 13th goals in the last 20 games - to give the Stars a 3-1 edge.

Ekman-Larsson changed the momentum with a shorthanded tally at the nine-minute mark of the third and Whitney tied it with a wrister past the glove of Lehtonen with 5:02 left in regulation.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Phoenix leading goal scorer Radim Vrbata missed the game due to an undefined illness. Vrbata, who has 30 goals, also missed back-to-back games at Vancouver and Dallas last week. ... Stars D Mark Fistric left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury. ... Dallas scored in the first period for only the second time in 10 games. ... Ryder's first goal came on the Stars' first power-play chance in three games.
Top Game Performances
 
Phoenix   Dallas
Ray Whitney 2 Points Michael Ryder 3
Ray Whitney 1 Goals Michael Ryder 2
Shane Doan 2 Assists Mike Ribeiro 3
Ray Whitney 1 Power Play Goals Michael Ryder 1
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1 Short Handed Goals N/A
Mike Smith .909 Save Percentage Kari Lehtonen .900
Mike Smith 30 Saves Kari Lehtonen 27
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Phoenix 30 3 1-4 3-4 39 24
Dallas 33 4 1-4 3-4 39 35
Upcoming Games
  • Dallas will play their next game at home against Vancouver. The Stars have a W/L % of .550 after a win and .545 after a loss.
  • Phoenix will play their next game at home against Colorado. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .432 after a win and .541 after a loss.