Wed Oct 15 23:58:08 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Stars edge Preds

---

Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Fabian Brunnstrom recorded a hat trick in making his NHL debut for Dallas and the Stars edged the Nashville Predators, 6-4, for their first win of the season.

It was only the third time in NHL history that a hat trick has been recorded by a player making his NHL debut. The highly-touted free agent signed with Dallas in the off-season following an accomplished three seasons in the Swedish Elite League. The 23-year-old was a healthy scratch for Dallas' first two games but notched a pair of second period goals and scored the game-winner late in the third.

"It made it that much better to win the game," Brunnstrom said. "I had some really nice passes and just tried to be in front of the net. This has been my goal since I was little, to play in the NHL and this is just a dream come true."

Mike Modano had a pair of goals and assisted on another while Brad Richards set up Brunnstrom on his final two scores. Marty Turco made 15 saves for Dallas, which dropped a 3-1 decision to Nashville at Sommet Center on Saturday.

"It was a much better team effort all around, but we need to tighten up defensively," Stars head coach Dave Tippett said.

Ryan Jones and Martin Erat had a goal and assist apiece for Nashville, which also got goals from Radek Bonk and Paul Hornqvist. Dan Ellis stopped 22-of-27 shots in defeat. The Preds had won four of their last five against the Stars but Brunnstrom wasn't a part of that history.

With time winding down in regulation and the score knotted 4-4, Nicklas Grossman threw it down low and Richards backhanded a pass in front to Brunnstrom, who buried a snap-shot past Ellis on the short side to turn the trick with 3:25 left to play.

J.P. Dumont then took a holding minor with 2:39 remaining and Dallas spent more time attacking than holding off a late charge from Nashville. Modano added an empty-netter for the final margin.

Nashville was whistled for a two-minute minor with 13 seconds left in the first and Mike Ribeiro won the ensuing faceoff back to Modano at the left point. Modano swung it over to Stephane Robidas between the circles and the shot ricocheted off a Preds defender and fluttered past Ellis with 9.4 seconds on the clock.

Dallas opened up the second period with a goal just 29 seconds in. Brandon Crombeen picked up the puck off the right boards and threw it in front, where a streaking Modano tipped the puck past Ellis on the far side for a 2-0 lead.

Brenden Morrow, however, took an elbowing penalty 3 1/2 minutes later and the Preds capitalized with Bonk redirecting an Erat pass in the goal crease. Nashville then evened things up 2-2 at the 9:04 mark, when Hornqvist's shot from the point deflected off Robidas and into the net.

Dallas grabbed the lead right back, though, with Toby Petersen working his way past a pair of defenders and up the right boards before feeding Brunnstrom in front for a bang-bang score.

Jones stayed with a bouncing puck that found its way into the crease and swatted it between the legs of Turco to match the Stars just over two minutes later.

Dallas stayed on the attack and lit the lamp for a third time in the period 23 second later. After winning a neutral zone draw, the Stars swung it around the right boards where a series of crisp passes from the left boards set up Brunnstrom for his second goal of the period at the right post, sending the Stars to a 4-3 lead entering the third.

The Preds failed to convert on three man-advantage opportunities in the first half of the third but Erat was able to put home a loose puck in front at the 10:59 mark, as Nashville evened the score for a third time.

Game Notes

Nashville took three of four against the Stars last year, including both tests in Dallas, but that was a new experience for the Preds, who had lost seven in a row in Big D before last season. Overall, the Stars are still 12-6 with a tie in their last 19 versus Nashville, and 15-4 all-time at home versus the Predators...Former Star Jason Arnott, who posted two power-play goals in last Saturday's win over Dallas, fractured a finger on his right hand in Monday's 3-2 shoo tout victory against Chicago and did not play...Jere Lehtinen remains day-to-day with a groin injury for the Stars...Dumont skated in his 600th NHL game Wednesday...Modano recorded his 529th and 530th career goals, his first two of the season.