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19 декабря 2009 года. 
Defenseman Karlis Skrastins caps career performance with game-winning goal for Stars // The Dallas Morning News 

DALLAS -- When defensemen Trevor Daley and Mark Fistric suffered injuries this week that will keep them out past Christmas, Stars alternate captain Stephane Robidas said the rest of the defense had to step up and seize the moment.

He probably had no idea just how much Karlis Skrastins would embrace that philosophy.

Skrastins had the game of his life Saturday afternoon, scoring two goals and adding an assist in Dallas' 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings at American Airlines Center. Skrastins entered the game with 27 goals in 711 career games, and the Stars with just one regulation win over the last 11 games. So both were due.

"I was waiting for this for a long time," said Skrastins, the veteran defenseman who signed as a free agent in the summer and had yet to score a goal for Dallas. "I've had a couple of good opportunities the last couple of games, but the puck wasn't going in. Tonight was one of those nights where I had a little bit of luck."

The victory was big for the Stars, who had been struggling to make the right play and had been giving away points to Western Conference teams in overtime. But with Dallas and Detroit fighting for eighth place, the Stars (15-9-11, 41 points) took the two points and gave none away.

"Our guys really paid attention to details," coach Marc Crawford said. "We backchecked hard, we covered pucks real well, we really had an identity of a team that wanted the puck and played strong, defensive hockey."

Detroit was missing several key players because of injury, but still had dangerous players in Pavel Datsyuk, Todd Bertuzzi, Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom. The Red Wings outshot the Stars, 33-21, and had plenty of good scoring chances.

But the Stars took a 4-3 lead when Skrastins buried a laser shot from the left circle just 1:16 into the third period. Then and Dallas methodically closed down what had been a fairly erratic game for both teams.

"We didn't step back," said winger James Neal, who had two goals and an assist. "We catch ourselves sitting back, and that's when they counter. We put the same amount of pressure on them in the third as we did in the first and second. It was a good win. It's good to be on the other side."

And a good lesson in team play. Daley (shoulder) and Fistric (concussion) will miss at least three games. Maxime Fortunus came up from the minors, made his NHL debut, and played 19:47 as a partner for Skrastins. Robidas ate up 24:51 in ice time, most of it against Detroit's best players. Partner Nicklas Grossman played 21:48 and had a team-leading four blocked shots.

"I thought the defense really stepped up," Crawford said. "They recognized how much onus was on them and how much responsibility they had to have."

Страничка Карлиса Скрастинша на сайте "Звёзды с Востока"
 

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