Stars 5, Devils 3 FINAL

Patrik Elias had two helpers Saturday to extend his assists streak to three games (5a).

The winless streak has reached three games for the banged-up New Jersey Devils.

They entered Dallas hoping to regain their road swagger, but closed out their three-game trip with a 5-3 loss to the Stars on Saturday.

Dallas' Tom Wandell broke a 3-3 tie at 9:07 of the third period after the Devils had rallied back from a 3-1 deficit on goals by Brian Rolston and Travis Zajac.

Brad Richards, who had four assists, found Wandell at the side of the net with a between-the-legs backhand pass. Wandell took the puck off his skate, then stuffed his third of the year underneath Martin Brodeur to put Dallas ahead for good.

Brodeur played the final 40 minutes of the game in relief of Yann Danis, who allowed three goals on nine shots and exited after the first period. Brodeur came on to make 15 saves on 17 shots. Marty Turco finished with 31 saves for Dallas.

The Devils started 9-0 on the road, but posted an 0-2-1 mark on this week's trip to pick up one of a possible six points. They return to play 10 of their next 12 games on home ice, beginning Wednesday when they host Ottawa.

Rolston scored 55 seconds into Saturday's game and added a power-play tally for his first two-goal game since returning to the Devils two summers ago. Patrik Elias assisted on both of Rolston's goals and extended his assists streak to three games (5a).

Zajac's seventh of the year snapped an eight-game goal drought, and Jamie Langenbrunner added two assists.

Though the Devils scored first for the first time in five games, they fell behind by two goals in the opening period. Stephane Robidas had a goal and two assists in the first frame, and scored the Stars' fifth goal in the third for his first career four-point night.

Missing six regulars, New Jersey (14-6-1) outshot the Stars, 34-26. It was announced Friday that forward Dainius Zubrus will be shelved for the next four to six weeks after blocking a shot at Nashville on Thursday. Winger Ilkka Pikkarainen (ill) was also added to the injured reserve list on Friday.

Matt Corrente made his NHL debut after being called up from Lowell (AHL) on Nov. 11. Normally a defenseman, Corrente skated at right wing and took 13 shifts for 9:54 of ice time, finishing a minus-1.

It was a creative solution for a team trying to maintain its momentum until it can regain its health. Jersey's Team was already without Rob Niedermayer (upper body), Jay Pandolfo (shoulder), Paul Martin (forearm) and Johnny Oduya (lower body) before learning it had lost Zubrus for the next month.

Corrente became the second Devil to make his NHL debut this week. Defenseman Tyler Eckford made his first NHL appearance Thursday against the Predators.

Rolston's fifth of the year got the Devils off to a quick start. Langenbrunner lofted a long cross-ice pass that Elias tipped to spring Rolston down the left side. Rolston broke in alone and tucked a backhander around Turco 55 seconds into the game.

The tally snapped Rolston's five-game goal drought.

The Stars responded quickly, tying the game 1:27 later on Warren Peters' first of the season. Peters, making his Stars' debut, redirected a Robidas shot from the top of the right circle to make it, 1-1, at 2:22.

David Clarkson was in the box for holding when Ribeiro gave the Stars their first lead. Ribeiro flipped in a Robidas rebound from the right side of the net to make it 2-1 at 7:59.

Dallas converted on the power play once again to take a 3-1 lead on Robidas' fourth of the year. Richards' blast missed the net and caromed off the end boards to Ribeiro. Ribeiro slid the puck cross-slot to Robidas for the tap in from the bottom of the right circle at 14:46.

In the second period, Rolston's sixth of the season and second of the game brought New Jersey back within one. With Trevor Daley off for interference, Elias set up Rolston's one-timer from the left point that beat Turco to make it 3-2 at 9:49.

It was Rolston's first two-goal outing since Feb. 9, 2008, when he was a member of the Minnesota Wild. With the secondary assist, Eckford picked up his first NHL point.

Zajac completed the comeback in the third period when he scored on the power play. New Jersey went 2-for-5 with the man advantage; Dallas, 2-for-4.

Mike Mottau's sliding block on Ribeiro's bid for an open net 4:12 into the period prevented the Stars from going up, 4-2. Two minutes later, Mottau drew a holding call on Jamie Benn that resulted in Zajac giving the Devils new life.

Zajac made it 3-3 at 6:31, when he stuffed a Langenbrunner pass through Turco's pads.

Wandell broke the stalemate less than three minutes later, and Robidas' blast from the right circle closed out the scoring with 5:51 to go in regulation.

NJD NOTES
Parise had an assist to extend his points streak to seven games (7g-5a), but fell short in his bid for the longest goals streak in Devils history. He is the only Devil ever to record two six-game goals streaks (B. Holik, V. Zelepukin, K. Muller, P. Verbeek). Though no Devil has ever scored in seven straight, Colorado's Paul Gardner holds the franchise record of eight (10/19-11/5/79). … The Devils and Stars close out the season series at Prudential Center on Jan. 5. The teams split the 2008-09 series, 1-1-0. … The Devils have lost their last four trips to Dallas. … Richards has torched the Devils for four goals and 25 assists in 30 games.