Dallas (35-12-15-2) at Buffalo (18-31-8-5)
One night after seeing the league's best team, the Dallas Stars will get a look at one of its worst. The Stars will try to shake off an overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators by beating up on the hapless Buffalo Sabres.
With a 3-2 loss on Thursday, the Stars fell one point behind the Senators in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
Bill Guerin and Jere Lehtinen tallied for the Stars, who had their 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) on the road snapped.
``We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game and it was,'' Guerin said. ``They got one in their building.''
Guerin has goals in the back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 9-11.
Dallas has not fared well against Buffalo in its history, trailing the all-time series 39-47-14, including a 13-26-11 record in Buffalo. The Stars have won just one of the last five meetings at HSBC Arena (1-4-0).
The Sabres, who have suffered through a miserable season including filing for bankruptcy protection, have won only two of their last 15, including a 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
Miroslav Satan has been one of the few bright spots for the Sabres of late, registering four goals and seven points in his last seven games.
However, Satan is getting little support. J.P. Dumont, who was expected to have a breakout season following back-to-back 23-goal campaigns, has one goal in his last 10 games and 12 overall.
There was some good news on Thursday as billionaire B. Thomas Golisano, a Rochester, N.Y., businessman, reached an agreement to purchase the team.
``Where the thing is is ... 'OK, now let's put it in writing.' And everybody's trying to put it in writing,'' said former team president Larry Quinn, who is spearheading Golisano's bid. ``There's a lot of details where things sit, and if they don't go the right way could derail it.
``But everybody's obviously optimistic we can work through it.''
STANDINGS: Stars - 87 points, 1st place, Pacific Division. Sabres - 49 points, 5th place, 39 PB, Northeast Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Stars - Mike Modano, 26 goals, 43 assists and 69 points; Guerin, 113 PIM. Sabres - Satan, 22 goals, 30 assists and 52 points; Eric Boulton, 132 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Feb. 26): Stars - Power play: 17.3 percent (43 for 249), 14th in NHL. Penalty killing: 86.0 percent (234 for 272), 6th. Sabres - Power play: 12.7 percent (34 for 268), 28th in NHL. Penalty killing: 84.9 percent (230 for 271), 10th.
GOALTENDERS: Stars - Ron Tugnutt (10-5-5, 2 SO, 2.22 GAA); Corey Hirsch (no appearances). Sabres - Martin Biron (12-22-6, 4, 2.44); Mika Noronen (0-6-1, 1, 3.54).
2001-02 SEASON SERIES: Stars, 1-0-0.
LAST MEETING: Dec. 12, 2001; At Dallas, Jere Lehtinen scored two goals, including the game-winner with 2:18 remaining, and Modano added a goal and two assists.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Stars - 14-9-9-1 on the road; Sabres - 11-14-4-1 at home.
BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars hope to reclaim the NHL's points lead when they visit the lowly Buffalo Sabres on Friday at HSBC Arena.
On Thursday, Dallas, which leads the Western Conference with 87 points, lost in overtime at Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa, 3-2.
With the win, the Senators improved to 88 points in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Stars had their franchise record-tying 10-game road unbeaten streak end, as well as their unbeaten season mark against Canadian franchises.
Bill Guerin and Jere Lehtinen scored in the first and second period, respectively, for Dallas, which had its team record of 15 straight games with a third-period goal end.
Buffalo, which is 3-8-1-3 over its last 15 games, capped a 1-1-1 road trip with a 3-2 setback at Washington on Wednesday.
Curtis Brown and Dmitri Kalinin scored for Buffalo, which has just 49 points, the lowest point total in the NHL.
The Sabres will look for a boost from Jason Botterill, who was recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League before the game. He was leading the AHL with 36 goals.
The Stars won the only meeting between the teams last season, 4-3, at home. Dallas is 0-1-1 here since a 4-2 win on October 7, 1997.
(Sports Network) - A night after falling in their showdown with Ottawa, the Dallas Stars try to dust themselves off when they visit the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena.
In a matchup of the National Hockey League's best, the Stars were on the short end of a 3-2 overtime decision, as the Senators' Magnus Arvedson scored 1:24 into the extra session to provide the difference. Bill Guerin and Jere Lehtinen scored in defeat, while Ron Tugnutt finished with 20 saves.
With the setback, the Stars fell to 2-0-3-1 in their last six games and had a 10-game road unbeaten streak (7-0-3) halted. Because Vancouver lost to San Jose, Dallas was able to increase its lead atop the Western Conference to two points over the Canucks.
The Sens, however, now lead the Stars by one point in the Presidents' Trophy race, but Dallas holds a game in hand.
Dallas, 14-9-9-1 on the road this season, played the third portion of a four- game away swing Thursday. Dave Tippett's club will kick off a four-game homestand Sunday versus Pittsburgh.
Buffalo, meanwhile, is 1-2-1 in its last four games and 3-8-1-3 in the last 15. On Wednesday the Sabres dropped a 3-2 decision in Washington to cap off a three-game road trip. The Capitals built a 3-0 lead before Buffalo's Curtis Brown and Dmitri Kalinin scored in the third period to draw within one. Martin Biron finished with 28 saves in defeat.
The Sabres, with 49 points, remain last in the NHL's overall standings -- two behind Atlanta and Carolina. Buffalo, which has lost four of its last six home tilts, will visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Dallas is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings against Buffalo, and 5-2-1 in the last eight regular season clashes. The Stars are, however, 0-1-1 in their last two trips to Buffalo. That doesn't, of course, include their Game 6 series-clinching triumph in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals.
2001-2002 Meetings
12/12 - Dallas, 4-3 (at Dal)
2000-2001 Meetings
11/15 - Tied, 2-2 ot (at Buf)
03/04 - Dallas, 4-1 (at Dal)
Game Notes
Note - Dallas is unbeaten (2-0-1) in the last three meetings.
Note - These two teams are 2-2-1 in the last five meetings.
Note - Dallas is 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings.
Note - Dallas is winless (0-1-1) in its last two at Buffalo.
Note - Dallas is 1-3-1 in its last five at Buffalo.
Note - Buffalo has lost two straight and six of its last seven at Dallas.
Note - Dallas is 8-1-4-1 in its last 14 games.
Note - Dallas is 7-0-3-1 in its last 11 road games.
Note - Buffalo is 3-8-1-3 in its last 15 games.
Note - Buffalo has lost four of its last six home games.
One night after seeing the league's best team, the Dallas Stars will get a look at one of its worst. The Stars will try to shake off an overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators by beating up on the hapless Buffalo Sabres.
With a 3-2 loss on Thursday, the Stars fell one point behind the Senators in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
Bill Guerin and Jere Lehtinen tallied for the Stars, who had their 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) on the road snapped.
``We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game and it was,'' Guerin said. ``They got one in their building.''
Guerin has goals in the back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 9-11.
Dallas has not fared well against Buffalo in its history, trailing the all-time series 39-47-14, including a 13-26-11 record in Buffalo. The Stars have won just one of the last five meetings at HSBC Arena (1-4-0).
The Sabres, who have suffered through a miserable season including filing for bankruptcy protection, have won only two of their last 15, including a 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
Miroslav Satan has been one of the few bright spots for the Sabres of late, registering four goals and seven points in his last seven games.
However, Satan is getting little support. J.P. Dumont, who was expected to have a breakout season following back-to-back 23-goal campaigns, has one goal in his last 10 games and 12 overall.
There was some good news on Thursday as billionaire B. Thomas Golisano, a Rochester, N.Y., businessman, reached an agreement to purchase the team.
``Where the thing is is ... 'OK, now let's put it in writing.' And everybody's trying to put it in writing,'' said former team president Larry Quinn, who is spearheading Golisano's bid. ``There's a lot of details where things sit, and if they don't go the right way could derail it.
``But everybody's obviously optimistic we can work through it.''
STANDINGS: Stars - 87 points, 1st place, Pacific Division. Sabres - 49 points, 5th place, 39 PB, Northeast Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Stars - Mike Modano, 26 goals, 43 assists and 69 points; Guerin, 113 PIM. Sabres - Satan, 22 goals, 30 assists and 52 points; Eric Boulton, 132 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Feb. 26): Stars - Power play: 17.3 percent (43 for 249), 14th in NHL. Penalty killing: 86.0 percent (234 for 272), 6th. Sabres - Power play: 12.7 percent (34 for 268), 28th in NHL. Penalty killing: 84.9 percent (230 for 271), 10th.
GOALTENDERS: Stars - Ron Tugnutt (10-5-5, 2 SO, 2.22 GAA); Corey Hirsch (no appearances). Sabres - Martin Biron (12-22-6, 4, 2.44); Mika Noronen (0-6-1, 1, 3.54).
2001-02 SEASON SERIES: Stars, 1-0-0.
LAST MEETING: Dec. 12, 2001; At Dallas, Jere Lehtinen scored two goals, including the game-winner with 2:18 remaining, and Modano added a goal and two assists.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Stars - 14-9-9-1 on the road; Sabres - 11-14-4-1 at home.
BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars hope to reclaim the NHL's points lead when they visit the lowly Buffalo Sabres on Friday at HSBC Arena.
On Thursday, Dallas, which leads the Western Conference with 87 points, lost in overtime at Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa, 3-2.
With the win, the Senators improved to 88 points in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Stars had their franchise record-tying 10-game road unbeaten streak end, as well as their unbeaten season mark against Canadian franchises.
Bill Guerin and Jere Lehtinen scored in the first and second period, respectively, for Dallas, which had its team record of 15 straight games with a third-period goal end.
Buffalo, which is 3-8-1-3 over its last 15 games, capped a 1-1-1 road trip with a 3-2 setback at Washington on Wednesday.
Curtis Brown and Dmitri Kalinin scored for Buffalo, which has just 49 points, the lowest point total in the NHL.
The Sabres will look for a boost from Jason Botterill, who was recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League before the game. He was leading the AHL with 36 goals.
The Stars won the only meeting between the teams last season, 4-3, at home. Dallas is 0-1-1 here since a 4-2 win on October 7, 1997.
(Sports Network) - A night after falling in their showdown with Ottawa, the Dallas Stars try to dust themselves off when they visit the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena.
In a matchup of the National Hockey League's best, the Stars were on the short end of a 3-2 overtime decision, as the Senators' Magnus Arvedson scored 1:24 into the extra session to provide the difference. Bill Guerin and Jere Lehtinen scored in defeat, while Ron Tugnutt finished with 20 saves.
With the setback, the Stars fell to 2-0-3-1 in their last six games and had a 10-game road unbeaten streak (7-0-3) halted. Because Vancouver lost to San Jose, Dallas was able to increase its lead atop the Western Conference to two points over the Canucks.
The Sens, however, now lead the Stars by one point in the Presidents' Trophy race, but Dallas holds a game in hand.
Dallas, 14-9-9-1 on the road this season, played the third portion of a four- game away swing Thursday. Dave Tippett's club will kick off a four-game homestand Sunday versus Pittsburgh.
Buffalo, meanwhile, is 1-2-1 in its last four games and 3-8-1-3 in the last 15. On Wednesday the Sabres dropped a 3-2 decision in Washington to cap off a three-game road trip. The Capitals built a 3-0 lead before Buffalo's Curtis Brown and Dmitri Kalinin scored in the third period to draw within one. Martin Biron finished with 28 saves in defeat.
The Sabres, with 49 points, remain last in the NHL's overall standings -- two behind Atlanta and Carolina. Buffalo, which has lost four of its last six home tilts, will visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Dallas is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings against Buffalo, and 5-2-1 in the last eight regular season clashes. The Stars are, however, 0-1-1 in their last two trips to Buffalo. That doesn't, of course, include their Game 6 series-clinching triumph in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals.
2001-2002 Meetings
12/12 - Dallas, 4-3 (at Dal)
2000-2001 Meetings
11/15 - Tied, 2-2 ot (at Buf)
03/04 - Dallas, 4-1 (at Dal)
Game Notes
Note - Dallas is unbeaten (2-0-1) in the last three meetings.
Note - These two teams are 2-2-1 in the last five meetings.
Note - Dallas is 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings.
Note - Dallas is winless (0-1-1) in its last two at Buffalo.
Note - Dallas is 1-3-1 in its last five at Buffalo.
Note - Buffalo has lost two straight and six of its last seven at Dallas.
Note - Dallas is 8-1-4-1 in its last 14 games.
Note - Dallas is 7-0-3-1 in its last 11 road games.
Note - Buffalo is 3-8-1-3 in its last 15 games.
Note - Buffalo has lost four of its last six home games.
