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 A 3-2 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils before 14,567 at
Prudential Center where Dallas didn't allow a power-play
opportunity, limited its turnovers and blocked eight shots has Ruff
feeling better.
"I thought this was by far our best game overall," said Ruff. "We
eliminated a lot of mistakes, we got pucks out and we put pressure
on them (New Jersey) in the zone.
"We were lot more diligent with the puck. We've been good
offensively. We've created enough good opportunities, but I wanted
to clean up the defensive side, where we take care of that first
before we start leaning on the offensive side."
Left winger Jamie Benn and center Jason Spezza scored for Dallas
(3-1-3) in the shootout while goaltender Kari Lehtonen stopped
Devils left winger Mike Cammalleri and right winger Jaromir Jagr to
seal the win.
"I think he (Lehtonen) got in (Jaromir) Jagr's head a little bit,"
Ruff said.
Dallas got second-period goals from Benn and right winger Patrick
Eaves in regulation.
 Defenseman Eric Gelinas and right winger Damien Brunner scored for
New Jersey in the first and third periods, respectively.
New Jersey took a 1-0 lead early in the first period on Gelinas'
first goal of the season and center Jacob Josefson's first point of
the season.
Josefson, who was making his first appearance this season, dug the
puck out from behind the Dallas net, and controlled it along the far
boards before shoveling it back to Gelinas, who blasted it from just
inside the left blue line at 5:21.
The Dallas defense, which started the game sluggishly, falling
victim to an aggressive New Jersey forecheck that led to the 1-0
Devils lead, came alive in the second and third periods. The Stars
didn't commit a turnover in the second period and finished with four
for the game, compared to 10 for the Devils.
Dallas tied the score at 1 at 4:28 of the second period. Center
Tyler Seguin stole the puck from Devils defenseman Andy Greene
behind the New Jersey net and fed a short pass to Benn, who shoveled
it over Devils goaltender Cory Schneider's shoulder on a power play
for his team-tying fifth goal of the season.
The Stars controlled the second period, outshooting the Devils 11-6
while taking a 2-1 lead.
Eaves snapped a shot from the lower edge of the right circle, almost
even with the net, that squeezed past Schneider for his first goal
of the season and first since Jan. 22. The goal, with assists from
defenseman Alex Goligoski and center Cody Eakin, came at 15:48.
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Brunner knotted the game at 2 for New Jersey at 8:18 of the third
period. He was camped out in front of the Stars net when the puck
bounced off a Dallas defenseman onto his stick for his first goal of
the campaign.
Lehtonen stopped 25 shots for Dallas while Schneider recorded 35
saves for the Devils.
After winning their first three games of the season, all on the
road, the Devils (3-2-2) have lost four straight, including an
overtime loss to the Rangers on Tuesday while the Stars have earned
points in each of their last five games.
Last season, the Devils were 0-13 with four goals in the shootout.
They have lost 18 straight games that went to a shootout, dating
back to the 2012-13 season.
"One game, one shootout right now," said Schneider. "We're not
thinking back to last year. This is a new year and we'll just move
forward."
The Devils also lost three straight at home.
"We're cobbling some points together here, but when we play three in
a row at home, we expect to at least win one of them," Schneider
said. "I think that was the objective coming into tonight and,
again, I think we all could have been a little bit better in
individual areas, myself included. You'd rather have two (points),
but we'll take the one right now and move on."
NOTES: The Devils placed RW Jordin Tootoo (foot) on injured reserve
before the game, retroactive to Oct. 21. ... Dallas D Jyrki
Jokipakka made his NHL debut, pairing with D Jamie Olesiak. ... The
Devils honored former goaltender and broadcaster Glenn "Chico" Resch
before the game. He played 198 games with New Jersey and spent 18
seasons as their broadcaster before retiring at the end of last
season. ... New Jersey opened the first of 18 sets of back-to-back
games on Friday. It travels to Ottawa on Saturday night. ... Dallas
D Sergei Gonchar has missed the last six games with a lower body
injury.
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