GLENDALE, Arizona -- Even with Wayne Gretzky as coach,
the Phoenix Coyotes have found it virtually impossible to score
against the Dallas Stars.
The Coyotes look to win for the fifth time in six games and
avoid their fourth shutout loss of the season to the Stars when
the teams meet Saturday for the second time in four days.
Despite some recent improvement, Phoenix has been stopped on all
60 of its shots on goal in three encounters against Dallas.
The Stars posted a 4-0 victory over the Coyotes on October 21
and a 1-0 triumph on November 9.
Marty Turco made 25 a saves to tie Ed Belfour's franchise
shutout record (27) and Mike Riberio, Sergei Zubov and Philippe
Boucher had a goal and an assist each for Dallas in Wednesday's
3-0 win over Phoenix.
However, the Stars' three-game winning streak ended two nights
later when they got a taste of their own medicine in Friday's
2-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Coyotes rebounded from their most recent shutout by Dallas
with Thursday's 2-1 shootout victory over the Chicago
Blackhawks. Shane Doan netted the clincher and Ed Jovanovski
scored his fifth goal in regulation.