Stars 4, Avalanche 2
All-Star Loui Eriksson and Brad Richards collected a goal and an assist apiece as the Dallas Stars skated to a 4-2 triumph over the visiting Colorado Avalanche on Thursday in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Captain Brenden Morrow scored for the third time in as many games and Tom Wandell also tallied for Dallas (41-28-11), which has won three in a row to move to within two points of the Anaheim Ducks (45-30-5) and Chicago Blackhawks (43-28-9) for eighth place in the Western Conference standings.
Making his 22nd consecutive start, Kari Lehtonen turned aside 21 shots to improve to 4-0-1 in his career against the Avalanche.
Wandell opened the scoring on a wraparound with 4:44 remaining in the first period and Eriksson doubled the advantage just 95 seconds later following a blast from the left faceoff circle.
After Brandon Yip put the Avalanche on the scoreboard midway through the contest, Morrow regained the Stars' two-goal cushion just 52 seconds into the third period for the eventual game-winner.
Mark Olver also tallied and Matt Duchene notched a pair of assists for Colorado (29-43-8), which has dropped 27 of its last 31 games (4-25-2) to see its season spiral out of control.
Brian Elliott finished with 33 saves to fall to 2-8-1 since being acquired from the Ottawa Senators.