Hull Lifts Stars Over Oilers, 3-2

Brett Hull is erasing the memory of a horrible regular season with a torrid start to the playoffs.

Hull, whose goal ended the Stanley Cup finals last season, closed out the Dallas Stars’ first-round elimination of the Edmonton Oilers by blasting in the winning goal in a 3-2 victory Friday night at Dallas.

“I’ve been fortunate that a few shots have gone in,” said Hull, who led Dallas with three goals and six points in the five-game series. “We’ve got a lot of guys trying to pick up the slack.”

The Stars opened their title defense with an incredibly balanced scoring attack: 11 players scored their 14 goals in the series. Mike Modano was the only other player with more than one.

Jamie Langenbrunner and defenseman Derian Hatcher were the new scorers Friday. Langenbrunner gave Dallas a 1-0 lead by scoring on a power play early in the second period, then Hatcher made the score 2-1 only 87 seconds after the Oilers pulled even later in the period.

Edmonton tied the score again 1:03 into the third period when a shot from behind the net by Jim Dowd caromed off Hatcher’s skate and went by goaltender Ed Belfour before he knew what happened.

The winning goal was set up when Joe Nieuwendyk left the puck for Hull in the high slot. Hull, who has more playoff goals (80) than any player participating in the playoffs this season, wound up and drilled it to the right of Edmonton’s Tommy Salo.

“That’s what I’m supposed to do,” Hull said. “That’s my job. I live to score goals.”

St. Louis 5, San Jose 3--The NHL’s regular-season champions are alive in the playoffs, thanks to big games from their biggest names at St. Louis.

Chris Pronger broke a third-period tie with a power-play goal and Al MacInnis and Pierre Turgeon also played pivotal roles as the Blues staved off elimination in the first-round series.

The Sharks carry a 3-2 series lead into Sunday’s Game 6 at San Jose.

In addition to scoring his second goal of the playoffs, Pronger kept his cool. He spent only two minutes in the penalty box after totaling 24 minutes the first four games.

“What game were you watching?” Pronger joked. “I’ve been disciplined the whole series.”

MacInnis scored his first goal of the playoffs after being shut out on 21 shots the first four games. Turgeon had two assists.

“Their top players were certainly their top players tonight,” Shark defenseman Brad Stuart said. “They did a good job of coming out and throwing everything at us early.”

The Blues, who threw away a 3-0 first-period lead before righting themselves, are trying to avoid becoming the first Presidents’ Trophy winner since the 1991 Chicago Blackhawks to be eliminated in the first round.

St. Louis never lost more than two consecutive games in the regular season.

“We’ve got another day, that’s for sure,” Pronger said. “The next game is just as huge.”

The Sharks had won three in a row after losing the playoff opener.

“We’re still a confident team,” San Jose’s Owen Nolan said. “We didn’t expect to sweep them four games. They finished first for a reason.”

St. Louis also trailed 3-1 in the first round last season before eliminating the Phoenix Coyotes in seven games. Fifteen teams have surmounted a 3-1 series deficit in NHL history, including the Blues three times.

Colorado 2, Phoenix 1--Peter Forsberg’s first goal of the playoffs was the first-round series clincher at Denver.

The Avalanche won the best-of-seven series, 4-1.

Forsberg shoveled a perfect pass to Sandis Ozolinsh for the tying goal late in the second period, then scored the winner at 5:43 of the third period.

After a turnover by Phoenix’s Juha Ylonen, Adam Foote took a shot from the left circle. Forsberg, stationed in front of the net, deflected it past goalie Sean Burke.

Burke had 29 saves, Colorado’s Patrick Roy 19.

It was Colorado’s seventh consecutive victory at the Pepsi Center.

The Coyotes lost their 10th consecutive playoff series, including when the franchise was in Winnipeg.