By JEFF MEZYDLO
STATS Senior Writer

Dallas (7-3-6) at Minnesota (5-10-0), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Dallas Stars appear to be fine - as long as they don't have
to play beyond the regulation 60 minutes.

After snapping a season-high three-game losing streak, the Stars
hope to make a run in a positive direction when they visit the
struggling Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.

Brad Richards and Brenden Morrow each scored in Dallas' 2-1 home
win over Vancouver on Friday. The result ended an 0-1-2 stretch
for the Stars (7-3-6), who are 6-3 in regulation, but 1-6 in
games decided in overtime or a shootout.

"You could just see the desperation in our guys," goalie Marty
Turco told the Stars' official Web site. "It was great to see,
it really was a total team effort. It was good to close it out."

Richards extended his point streak to seven games with his sixth
goal, while Morrow added his seventh and first in seven games.
Morrow has four goals and four assists in his last seven games
against Minnesota. Richards has five and five assists in nine
career games against the Wild.

The Stars will likely expect more of the same from that pair
with goal leader James Neal expected to miss a second straight
game with a groin injury.

Turco made 32 saves Friday to improve to 5-2-4 with a 2.21
goals-against average this season. While Turco's 13-4-1 with a
2.02 GAA against Minnesota, backup Alex Auld could get the start
in this back-to-back scenario.

Auld is 2-1-2 with a 3.73 GAA this season and 5-1-1 with a 1.31
all-time versus the Wild (5-10-0), who have lost five of six to
the Stars.

Last in the Western Conference, the Wild fell short in their bid
for a third straight victory by losing 5-2 at home to Vancouver
on Thursday.

Kyle Brodziak scored twice for Minnesota, which had three shots
and only one on three power plays in the first period.

"All you have to do is look at the standings and see there's got
to be desperation and urgency with every game we play," said
first-year Wild coach Todd Richards, whose team averages 2.1
goals per game.

Brodziak has been one of the few productive performers in the
offensive end of late. After spending his previous four seasons
with Edmonton, Brodziak has scored three of his four goals in
the last two games.

He has two goals and two assists against Dallas, but only one
point in his last three versus the Stars.

Despite being pulled for the first time this season after giving
up four goals on 17 shots Thursday, All-Star Niklas Backstrom
could be back in net for this contest.

"I have to make the saves to keep us in the game," said
Backstrom, a 30-game winner the past two seasons who's 5-8-0
with a 2.68 GAA through the first month of play and 3-5-3 with a
2.58 GAA against Dallas.

Backup Josh Harding stopped all four shots he faced in relief of
Backstrom, but is 0-2-0 with a 4.73 GAA this season and 0-1-0
with a 5.45 GAA all-time versus the Stars.

It's uncertain if Wild forward Eric Belanger will play after
suffering an upper-body injury against Vancouver. Belanger is
tied for the team lead with 12 points.