Sports: Two Stars have praise for Lightning

Two Stars have praise for Lightning

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

DALLAS -- Stars coach Ken Hitchcock gave the Lightning a thumbs up for the first two games of its three-game road trip.

"They played great," Hitchcock said Monday night before the Stars faced Tampa Bay at Reunion Arena. "They'll be a hard opponent for a lot of teams. They have speed with confidence. They've got the goaltender making the saves at the right time, which wins games for you. "Tampa has played as well as I've seen them play."

Stars left wing Kirk Muller said he was especially impressed with the Lightning's 1-0 victory over the Canadiens on Nov. 14.

"It's never easy to go in and beat Montreal," he said. "That's something they can look back and build on."

Muller said Tampa Bay should stick to its plan of building with youth.

"You have to play them and let them learn from their mistakes," he said.

Hitchcock remembered well the problems the Lightning caused the Stars last season when it earned a 2-1 victory at Dallas.

"They played with a real sense of purpose," he said. "They're playing the same way now."

EQUIPMENT CHECK: Dan Cloutier got a scare Sunday when his equipment was not on the flight he took from Orlando to Dallas. The goaltender played in Orlando on Saturday night for the IHL's Detroit Vipers on a conditioning assignment.

The equipment showed up late Sunday. Cloutier said he was told it was not loaded onto his flight.

Had it not been found, Cloutier would have had to wear his new pads, which are not broken in, and may have had to borrow chest and arm pads from the Stars. He also would have had to replace his vintage helmet and cage mask.

"That would be hard because they don't make those anymore," he said.

BLOCK GRANT: Forward Stan Drulia has blocked 21 shots in seven games since missing six games with a broken left hand sustained ... blocking a shot.

Drulia said the hand is sore, but that hasn't given him pause.

"Blocking shots is part of my job," Drulia said. "If I get hit there again, there's nothing I can do about it."

ODDS AND ENDS: Forward Wayne Primeau (left heel bruise) was scratched, as were defensemen Sergey Gusev (right knee) and Craig Millar (bruised rib tissue), and forward Steve Martins (groin). ... Defenseman Paul Mara (hip pointer) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 14. He will be eligible to play Wednesday night against the Thrashers at the Ice Palace. ... Left wing Nils Ekman was recalled from the Vipers.