panoo

Associated Press
10/13/2006 1:33:56 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Eric Lindros had three assists, one on Jussi Jokinen's power-play goal, and Mike Modano had a goal and an assist to lead the Dallas Stars to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

Antti Miettinen and Brenden Morrow also scored for Dallas. Marty Turco made 32 saves, helping the defending Pacific Division champions improve to 3-0 - all with the two-time all-star in net. The only thing that stood between Turco and his 25th career shutout was Raitis Ivanans' first NHL goal with 17:09 to play.

Turco set a franchise record last season with a career-high 41 victories. He was rewarded in January with a four-year, US$22.8 million contract extension, which prevented him from becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and locked him up through the 2009-10 season. Three seasons ago, Turco set a modern NHL record with a 1.72 goals-against average.

Miettinen opened the scoring 19 seconds after the opening faceoff with a one-timer from short range after Niklas Hagman set him up from behind the net. Modano made it 2-0 at 14:22 of the first period, converting a rebound after Dan Cloutier made a leg save on a 35-foot slap shot by Lindros in the slot.

Morrow gave Dallas a three-goal lead at 1:55 of the second period, backhanding the puck off Cloutier from a sharp angle to the right of the net. Cloutier didn't face the Stars last season while with Vancouver. He was limited to just 13 games because of a knee injury that knocked him out for the final 61 games.

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I knew he'd be off to a good start. It's not his game that's the problem with Lindros, it's his injuries. Without them he's still one of the best centermen in the NHL.

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"It's not the way it's going to be. We have to be very, very patient and build this the right way. We have to go through a process. It may be painful. I hope it isn't. But we're prepared for all the bumps and pratfalls and potholes in the road ahead. I'm prepared for it anyway, or I wouldn't have come." - Ron Wilson, Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.