Dallas Stars/New Jersey Devils NHL recap on ESPN

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Wednesday, Mar. 15 7:00pm ET
Belfour watches as Fernandez wins

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Even though the Dallas Stars seem to be rounding into Stanley Cup playoff form, coach Ken Hitchcock wants more -- more injured players back and better play.

The defending champion Stars won their third straight on Wednesday night as Mike Modano snapped a tie early in the third period with a goal off the skate of a Devils player in a 3-2 victory over New Jersey.


	Devils newcomer Alexander Mogilny gets a ride to the ice courtesy of Dallas' Mike Modano.

"I think we're about 60 percent of where we want to be," said Hitchcock, who would like to see Jere Lehtinen, Blake Sloan, Guy Carbonneau and Grant Marshall return from injuries.

"Once they're in, we'll see where we're at," he added. "We've got some good depth up front. We have to get it out on the ice and playing."

The Stars have played well even without key players. They are 6-3-2 in their last 11 games with two of the losses coming in overtime.

Jamie Langenbrunner and Richard Matvichuk also scored as the defending Stanley Cup champions welcomed back goalie Ed Belfour after a week's absence and spoiled the debut of Alexander Mogilny with the Devils.

The Stars won their 32nd straight road game when scoring at least three goals.

"They're very disciplined," Devils center Bobby Holik said. "They're getting in that (Stanley Cup) mode. That's what it looked like to me and a couple of other guys."

Patrik Elias, who became the Devils' first 30-goal scorer since 1993-94, and Jason Arnott scored for New Jersey, which was returning after a seven-game road trip.

Belfour, who missed the last four games after being arrested last week for assaulting a hotel security guard, didn't play. Wearing a baseball cap, he watched Manny Fernandez make 22 saves, including two on Mogilny early in the third period with the score tied.

"There was nothing really," said Mogilny, who had three shots. "They're a good defensive hockey club and they didn't give us much."

Fernandez also withstood a flurry in the closing seconds with the Devils on a power play.

Modano broke a 2-2 tie at 5:50 of the period after taking a pass from Jon Sim. He couldn't handle the pass right away and was forced to take a bad angle shot that banked off the skate of defenseman Scott Stevens for his 33rd goal.

"I really didn't have an angle on Brodeur," Modano said. "I threw it across the box to see if something would happen, and it did. It was a lucky break."

Stevens said the shot hit off his toe cap and then bounced over his stick as he went to clear it.

"It's frustrating. We battled back after the bad start and created a lot of chances," Stevens said. "It's frustrating, but that's the way it's been going."

Dallas dominated the first period, outshooting New Jersey 15-6 and taking a 2-0 lead on goals 35 seconds apart by Langenbrunner and Matvichuk. Both scores came with each team playing with a man in the penalty box.

Langenbrunner extended his goal-scoring streak to four games with a shot in close over Brodeur's glove at 2:40. Matvichuk, who had to leave the game early in the third period after being struck in the helmet and forehead by a deflected shot, scored on a 2-on-1 break, taking a nice setup from Brett Hull.

Elias got the Devils back in the game at 15:24 of the first period, scoring in close four seconds after Dallas defenseman Brad Lukowich was penalized for interference.

Arnott tied the game at 5:51, putting a rebound past Fernandez after he made nice stops on Petr Sykora and Elias.

The Stars are 16-6-2 in their last 24 road games.

ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Dallas Clubhouse

New Jersey Clubhouse

Mogilny expecting to have fun in New Jersey

Belfour apologizes to teammates upon return to Stars

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Dallas 3
New Jersey 2

Washington 4
NY Islanders 3

Edmonton 2
Carolina 2

Tampa Bay 4
NY Rangers 4

Chicago 5
Toronto 2

Ottawa 3
Calgary 1

St. Louis 5
Phoenix 3

Los Angeles 2
Anaheim 2

San Jose 6
Buffalo 5