By TERRY JONES
DALLAS - With two large apes removed from their backs, and two huge shutouts back to back by Marty Turco, the Dallas Stars can fly back to Vancouver for Game 7 without requiring an actual airplane.
After the Stars ended a streak of six straight overtime losses in the Stanley Cup playoffs in Game 5, they returned to Dallas last night night for Game 6 and ended a six game playoff losing streak at home by riding an early goal from Mike Modano, his first of the series, to a 2-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
It was the first game of the series which was won by more than a one-goal margin and the first won by a home team since Henrik Sedin scored at the 18:06 mark of the fourth overtime period in Game 1.
Much maligned Turco, who at one point had only won two of his previous nine playoff games, has now won two in a row by shutouts.
And Turco's headed to Vancouver for Monday's Game 7 where he won the last two by shutouts and carries a run of 126:22 of play not giving up a goal in G.M,. Place.
"Our guys played pretty well in front of me and they got in lanes to take plays away," he said.
"We were a strong unit down low and that was a product of how bad we want to win this series.
"Tonight was certainly a game in which we were happy with our effort. We played well and didn't give them too much, but we know Game 7 is going to be a most difficult one."
Turco stopped 21 shots . He's now stopped all but nine of 199 shots. Roberto Luongo has stopped all but 11 of 220.
The breakthrough of Modano scoring, even on a 5-on-3 situation, doesn't hurt.
"One of the reasons why we've been able to grab the last two games is because of the adversity we've gone through this year," said Dallas coach Dave Tippett.
"It's Game 7 but it's been Game 7 for us for the last two games. We feel this team is built of guys who are never going to quit.
"We played the last two with our backs to the wall and our situation hasn't changed. We still have our backs to the wall."
Modano said the Stars have their focus.
"The level of concentration of our team is pretty high and we're really focused on the little things. Those will be critical again on Monday."
The two teams haven't been real regulars in seven game series in their history.
The Stars lost their first Game 7 since moving to Dallas when Todd Marchant scored the winner for Edmonton in 1997 and defeated Colorado in Game 7 in both 1999 and 2000.
The Canucks are 4-4 in Game 7s including once before gassing a 3-1 series lead - four years ago against Minnesota.
With each goal in this series being so huge, the Stars put themselves well on their way to getting to Game 7 early in this one.
After losing Game 5 at home at 6:22 of overtime on the fourth Dallas power play goal of the series, the Canucks put two players - Trevor Linden and Kevin Bieksa - in the penalty box early to create 1:48 of five-on-three play and
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