Defense goes on offensive in Cedar Park

The Dallas Stars wrapped up the Cedar Park portion of their training camp with a scrimmage Sunday morning. Team White overcame a 3-0 deficit and defeated Team Victory Green 7-4.
"It was good to get out there and get in game situations," said forward Patrick Eaves. "We've had two good practices, and the scrimmage was another step. We'll be ready for tomorrow (preseason opener vs. St. Louis)."
Defenseman Nick Ebert, acquired in a trade with Los Angeles for goaltender Jack Campbell, scored three goals to lead Team White. Julius Honka and Mattias Backman also scored in the scrimmage, and Johnny Oduya had a shot from the point tipped in by Remi Elie, giving the Stars defense a hand in more than half the eleven goals scored in the scrimmage.
"We really skated well," said Stars coach Lindy Ruff. "I thought it was a real good day on the offensive side for our defensemen. Ebert, who is new to the crew here, had a real good day. I thought Honka skated well and scored a goal. Overall, I noticed our defense and their mobility more than anything."

Kari Lehtonen (12 shots/9 saves) and Maxime Lagace (8 shots/7 saves) were the goaltenders for Team White. Antti Niemi (6 shots/5 saves) and Philippe Desrosiers (13 shots/8 saves) backstopped Team Victory Green.
Team Victory Green dominated play in the first period, holding a 9-3 shots advantage and scoring twice. Eaves scored on a penalty shot, beating Lehtonen with a wrist shot. Honka made it 2-0, stealing the puck near the Team White blue line and scoring off a blast from the right circle.
Green made it 3-0 early in the second when Elie tipped a Oduya shot past Lehtonen. Team White then rattled off three straight goals to tie. Backman beat Niemi on a penalty shot midway through the second for Team White's first goal. Ebert scored from the right circle on Desrosiers and then Brendan Ranford tallied on a penalty shot to tie the game 3-3.
Green retook the lead late in the second when free agent invite Connor Chatham set up Patrick Sharp, who slipped the puck past Lagace with a backhand shot to make it a 4-3 game. Team White then answered with four straight goals. Jiri Hudler rifled a sharp angle shot past Desrosiers early in the third to tie the game at 4-4. Ebert scored his second of the scrimmage to make it 5-4, Cole Ully scored on a penalty shot to extend the lead to 6-4 and then Ebert scored into an empty net to make it a 7-4 final.
Notes: Shore out with ankle injury
\Stars coach Lindy Ruff said center Devin Shore is expected to miss a "couple weeks" with an ankle injury. Shore was injured in Saturday's practice.
\Right wing Ales Hemsky is expected to miss 7-10 days with a groin injury suffered at the World Cup of Hockey.
\Center Radek Faksa, who missed Czech Republic's final two games at the World Cup with concussion-like symptoms, will practice with the Stars Monday, Ruff said.
\Other Stars on the injured list include center Tyler Seguin (heel), center Cody Eakin (knee), center Jason Dickinson (hip), center Travis Morin (illness).
\Stars captain Jamie Benn did not take part in Sunday's scrimmage. The Stars are being cautious with Benn, who had offseason surgery to repair a core muscle injury.
\The Stars open preseason play Monday night when they take on St. Louis Friday at American Airlines Center. The team will skate Monday morning in Frisco.
Sunday's Lineups
TEAM VICTORY GREEN
Patrick Sharp - Jason Spezza - Matt Mangene
Antoine Roussel - Patrick Eaves - Brett Ritchie
Remi Elie - Justin Dowling - Matej Stransky
Brandon DeFazio - Gemel Smith - Connor Chatham
Johnny Oduya - Julius Honka
Jamie Oleksiak - Jordie Benn
Stephen Johns - Ludwig Bystrom
Dustin Stevenson
Antti Niemi
Philippe Desrosiers
TEAM WHITE
Samuel Laberge - Mattias Janmark /Adam Cracknell - Jiri Hudler
Curtis McKenzie - Adam Cracknell - Brendan Ranford
Cole Ully - Mattias Janmark - Denis Gurianov
Brandon Anselmini - Mike McMurtry - Branden Troock
Dan Hamhuis - John Klingberg
Patrik Nemeth - Andrew Bodnarchuk
Mattias Backman - Nick Ebert
Chris Martenet
Kari Lehtonen
Max Lagace