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Modano reaches another milestone
Monday, 1 December 2008 - 3:20pm
Modano scored on a power play with 2:21 to go in the Stars’ 4-3 victory over the visiting Oilers last night.
Modano broke a tie with his 537th career goal—beating rookie Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers from the left circle off a feed from Brad Richards to become the 31st NHL player with 1,300 points.
“That was a great shot there, especially on a milestone goal that was so meaningful for our group,” Stars’ coach Dave Tippett said. “You don’t get 1,300 points without being a great player, and that was a great goal.”
Modano, second on the team with nine goals this season, wasn’t sure he would be healthy enough to play after overnight back spasms. But a pep talk from his father, Mike Sr., visiting for the holidays, convinced Modano to lace on the skates.
“It spasmed up in the middle of the night, but it felt better as the day went on,” Modano said. “Dad gave me a little lip service, told me not to sit this one out.”
Modano also had an assist to extend his lead among U.S.-born goal-scorers.
“[Richards] made a great pass, on the stick, and I found a seam,” said Modano, playing in his 20th season—all with the Stars.
“I’ve been blessed to have been around this long,” he remarked.
Toby Petersen scored his first goal in two seasons, and Mike Ribeiro added a power-play goal for the Stars, who improved their regular-season home record against Edmonton to 23-4-2 since they moved from Minnesota in 1993.
The honours continue for Modano—the franchise’s greatest player.
“When you think about all he’s done, the milestones and the ceremonies, and one more creeps up on him,” Stars’ goalie Marty Turco said. “At this juncture of the season, we need him more than anyone.”
Oilers’ coach Craig MacTavish said leaving Modano alone on a late-game power play was a major tactical error.
“It was missed execution on a pretty elementary part of our penalty kill,” MacTavish said. “The game was there for us. It was ripe for opportunity.
“We squandered a pretty good second and third [periods] with boneheaded mistakes.”
Edmonton is now 2-5-1 in its last eight games.
Losing two leads in the third period, meanwhile, caused doubt to creep in for the stumbling Stars, who are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games.
Elsewhere in the NHL yesterday, Florida blanked the N.Y. Rangers 4-0, St. Louis doubled Atlanta 4-2, and Anaheim beat Carolina 4-1.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Mike Modano almost didn’t dress for the Dallas Stars until a pep talk from his father convinced him to lace up his skates.
Too bad for the Edmonton Oilers.
Modano broke a tie with his 537th career goal—beating rookie Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers from the left circle off a feed from Brad Richards to become the 31st NHL player with 1,300 points.
“That was a great shot there, especially on a milestone goal that was so meaningful for our group,” Stars’ coach Dave Tippett said. “You don’t get 1,300 points without being a great player, and that was a great goal.”
Modano, second on the team with nine goals this season, wasn’t sure he would be healthy enough to play after overnight back spasms. But a pep talk from his father, Mike Sr., visiting for the holidays, convinced Modano to lace on the skates.
“It spasmed up in the middle of the night, but it felt better as the day went on,” Modano said. “Dad gave me a little lip service, told me not to sit this one out.”
Modano also had an assist to extend his lead among U.S.-born goal-scorers.
“[Richards] made a great pass, on the stick, and I found a seam,” said Modano, playing in his 20th season—all with the Stars.
“I’ve been blessed to have been around this long,” he remarked.
Toby Petersen scored his first goal in two seasons, and Mike Ribeiro added a power-play goal for the Stars, who improved their regular-season home record against Edmonton to 23-4-2 since they moved from Minnesota in 1993.
The honours continue for Modano—the franchise’s greatest player.
“When you think about all he’s done, the milestones and the ceremonies, and one more creeps up on him,” Stars’ goalie Marty Turco said. “At this juncture of the season, we need him more than anyone.”
Oilers’ coach Craig MacTavish said leaving Modano alone on a late-game power play was a major tactical error.
“It was missed execution on a pretty elementary part of our penalty kill,” MacTavish said. “The game was there for us. It was ripe for opportunity.
“We squandered a pretty good second and third [periods] with boneheaded mistakes.”
Edmonton is now 2-5-1 in its last eight games.
Losing two leads in the third period, meanwhile, caused doubt to creep in for the stumbling Stars, who are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games.
Elsewhere in the NHL yesterday, Florida blanked the N.Y. Rangers 4-0, St. Louis doubled Atlanta 4-2, and Anaheim beat Carolina 4-1.