Sharks Fall To Stars In Shootout
SAN JOSE (AP) -- Jamie Benn netted the first goal of the game and then scored again in the shootout to help the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Monday night.
Brad Richards also scored the tiebreaker, and Andrew Raycroft stopped Ryane Clowe in the third round to give the Stars their second shootout victory in three games.
Mike Ribeiro added a goal in regulation for the Stars.
Derek Joslin scored his first NHL goal, and Clowe also found the back of the net for the Sharks, who lost for the second time in five games. Clowe has points in five straight games and seven of eight.
Raycroft, in his fourth straight start, stopped 31 shots— including a series of point-blank saves that got the game into overtime.
Antti Niemi made 29 saves for the Sharks.
Dallas captain Brenden Morrow took a puck to the face near the end of the first period but returned to the ice with a special mask to protect his lip and nose, where he was struck.
Ribeiro beat Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to the puck behind the net and set up a wide-open shot for Benn from the slot as the Stars took the early lead with 13:43 left in the first period.
The Sharks, outworked for 25 minutes, then scored twice within two minutes of the second period to take a 2-1 lead.
Joslin scored from the side after taking a sharp pass from Joe Thornton. Clowe followed with his fifth goal in eight games with an assist from Benn Ferriero.
The Stars tied it when Ribeiro scored off a pass from Stephane Robidas. Ribeiro has scored three of his five goals against the Sharks.
Notes: Clowe was chosen as the NHL's top star for last week. ... Dallas G Kari Lehtonen remained at home to rest his sore back. He could be ready to start against the Sharks on Thursday. ... Sharks D Doug Murray was scratched because of a lower body injury. ... The Stars have won the season series from the Sharks in six of seven seasons. ... Stars D Mark Fistric returned after missing seven games because of a groin injury. ... The Stars are 30-16-3 in San Jose.
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