A Star Is Reborn In Dallas

What a difference a record setting night in San Jose can make. Mike Modano entered his game on November 7th against the Sharks one goal behind Joe Mullen for the most goals ever scored in the NHL by an American born player. Modano scored two fantastic goals that night to move into the record books, and he has been on a tear ever since.

Back on top of his game!

Since that early November game Modano has scored 6 goals and 6 assists in his last 11 games, helping to catapult the Stars to the top of the Pacific Division. This is after notching just 2 goals and 3 assists in his first 14 games this season. Clearly Modano has turned his game around since getting the weight of the goal scoring record off of his back.

Modano's turnaround could not have come at a better time for the goal starved Stars. Offense has been a problem for the Stars for quite a while now (just look at their playoff series against Vancouver last season), but they have taken advantage of superb goaltending and Modano's hot hand to make a charge up the Western Conference standings.

Dallas clearly owes much of their recent success to the classy Modano, who stuck with the team despite being unceremoniously stripped of his captaincy prior to the start of last season. Even as Modano struggled out of the starting gates this season his critics circled like vultures as he painstakingly plodded towards the goal record. Ironically, Modano has been on fire ever since and looks to have the last laugh on those who were so quick to slap the "Washed Up" label on him less than a month ago. With the grace he has shown Navigating the rinks of the NHL throughout his career, Mike Modano has made it through one of the toughest stretches of his Hall of Fame career and retaken his seat at the table among the NHL's elite.