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Star Gazing: Two Defensive Breakdowns Prove Costly |
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The Dallas Stars played a solid enough road game in Phoenix last night to stay competitive against the Coyotes but a pair of defensive breakdowns proved costly in a 2-1 loss that snapped the Stars' two-game mini winning streak. Kari Lehtonen had no prayer of stopping either goal, as Phoenix build a 2-0 lead by the middle stages of the game.
On the first goal, gifted Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson stickhandled at will around the Dallas defense, getting the puck down low to Antoine Vermette. Captain Shane Doan received a centering pass right on the doorstep and beat Lehtonen from point blank range.
On the second goal, there was no Stars player within five feet of Rob Klinkhammer as he got wide open in the slot. He deposited his first NHL goal in the back of the net.
Jaromir Jagr scored a goal for the fourth straight game (his fifth in that span) to get the Stars on the board late in the second period. The Dallas' offense, which had firing on all cylinders, had trouble generating shots and chances on Mike Smith (20 saves). The Stars were unable to equalize the game in the third period, getting just four shots on goal in the final stanza.
The Stars host the Predators on Tuesday.
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