Ed Belfour was right. The Dallas Stars’ encounter against the Blackhawks was just another game Friday night.
Of course, he could have inserted the word “pathetic” before “game” to describe his former teammates’ performance.
The Hawks mustered two shots on goal in the first period and bumbled their way to doubling that total in the second period en route to a 7-0 loss. Bet General Manager Bob Murray was thrilled he made the trip here. The junior game he was planning to attend would have been more interesting.
The Hawks fell to 0-4 for the first time since 1969-70 and remain the only team in the NHL without a point this season.
The eternal optimist would say the Hawks in 1969-70 came back to finish 45-22-9, but the pessimist would point out that Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull were on that team. Those two could get off two shots on goal standing on their heads.
“It’s tough on the young guys; it puts pressure on everybody,” goaltender Chris Terreri said of the Hawks’ miserable start. “It’s not fun.”
Belfour had to enjoy his first game against the Hawks. He played the first 415 games of his NHL career for the Hawks before getting traded to San Jose in January. He signed as a free agent with the Stars in July and he knew what he was doing. Dallas entered Friday’s game allowing the fewest shots on goal a game, 21.5.
Belfour didn’t have to work nearly that hard, finishing with 14 stops, including a brilliant save on Tony Amonte in the third period, for his 32nd career shutout.
Mike Modano had three goals and Joe Nieuwendyk added two for Dallas (2-2-1). Modano’s assist on Nieuwendyk’s second goal was the 600th of his career.
Nieuwendyk broke a scoreless tie at 16 minutes 13 seconds of the first period, and Todd Harvey’s goal 18 seconds into the second opened the flood gates.
