Stars Win, 4-2, Over Ducks In Opener Matching Division Champs

DALLAS (AP) — Antoine Roussel scored the tie-breaking goal for the Dallas Stars in a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night in a season opener matching the Western Conference's two defending division champions.

Roussel scored on a pass from Adam Cracknell only 83 seconds into the third period, 22 seconds after Andrew Cogliano's second goal for the Ducks had tied the game 2-all. Cracknell later added a goal.

Lauri Korpikoski and Stephen Johns also scored for the Stars, who last season had a Western Conference-high 109 points while winning the Central Division.

Randy Carlyle, who led the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup title in 2007, coached his first game in his return. He was re-hired to replace Bruce Boudreau nearly five years after being fired. Anaheim won the Pacific Division last season, but was ousted by Nashville in the first round of the playoffs.