DALLAS (AP) - Jeff Halpern broke up a shutout duel at 4:11 of the third period to send the Dallas Stars to a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.
Niklas Hagman's shot went wide of the net and the puck pinballed off the end boards and onto the stick of Halpern to the left of the Nashville goal. Halpern popped his third goal of the season into an open net vacated when Predators goaltender Tomas Vokoun tried to play the puck behind the net.
Stars rookie Mike Smith stopped 17 shots for his second shutout in his fourth career start, improving his record to 4-1.
Jeff Halpern scores in third period as Stars beat Predators 1-0