Western Conference-Leading Stars Beat Red Wings 4-1
By LARRY LAGE/AP Hockey Writer
DETROIT (AP) - Patrick Sharp and Valeri Nichushkin scored in the first period and the Dallas Stars had two empty-net goals in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
Kari Lehtonen stopped 10 of 11 shots in the first two periods and finished with 21 saves for Dallas. The Western Conference-leading Stars have won three straight and six of seven.
Jimmy Howard stopped 20 shots for the Red Wings before getting knocked out of the game midway through the third period. Dallas center Jason Spezza's right knee connected with the left side of Howard's head as he skated toward the front of the crease. After Howard was evaluated on the ice, Petr Mrazek replaced him.
Mrazek made just two saves before being pulled to add an extra skater, leaving the net open for Tyler Seguin to shoot into with 1:08 left. Cody Eakin added another empty-net goal in the final minute.
Detroit pulled within a goal with 27 seconds left in the first period on a power play when Gustav Nyquist redirected Niklas Kronwall's slap pass past Lehtonen. Detroit had won three in a row for the first time since opening the season 3-0.
Sharp scored first, taking advantage of a diagonal pass to the left circle from rookie John Klingberg 7:22 into the game.
The Stars were outshooting and outskating Detroit and were rewarded when Nichushkin skated with the puck behind the net, gave it up, got to a rebound and scored on his second shot of the dominating even-strength sequence to put them ahead 2-0. Nichushkin scored for the first time since his rookie season two years ago.
In the second period, both teams were limited to just three shots each because of tight checking and players clustering in front of the net.
The Stars had a man advantage with just under 8 minutes left when Jonathan Ericsson was called for roughing after punching Ales Hemsky, who checked Ericsson's face into the glass, leaving him bloody. That seemed to fire up the Red Wings, who killed the penalty and put some pressure on the Stars before added an extra attacker only to have the Stars take advantage of shooting into an open net.
NOTES: Nichushkin didn't score in his first 12 games this year after a groin injury limited him to eight scoreless games last year. ... He had 14 goals and 34 points as a rookie during the 2013-14 season. ... Detroit D Mike Green played for the first time since Oct. 23, returning from a shoulder injury. ... Red Wings C Andreas Athanasiou made his NHL debut, getting recalled to replace D Kyle Quincey, who was put on seven-day injured reserve with an ankle injury.
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