Marty Turco identified Friday as a big workday.
“We could feel sorry for ourselves, or put the work boots on, understand the situation, the reality of it all, and just go after it and lay it all on the line, and that’s what we’re going to do,” the Dallas goaltender said Wednesday night after the Stars blew their third lead in three games and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Avalanche.
Turco, who was victimized when Alex Tanguay’s behind-the-net shot caromed off the skate of Stars defenseman Willie Mitchell and into his net for the winner, isn’t making excuses about the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed being on the brink of elimination.
“Feels like it’s been typical,” Turco said of Tanguay’s fortunate bounce that gave Colorado its second straight overtime victory. “But it’s over and done, and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves to be put in this position.
“We’re going to put everything on the line come Friday, and there’s still belief in this group. It’s going to be an effort unparalleled that you’ve seen from us all year.”
Said Stars forward Brenden Morrow: “We’ve got to win or we’re going home. Hopefully our best game is Game 4.”
Mitchell was skating atop the crease, covering Avs winger Ian Laperriere, when the puck deflected off his skate and past Turco.
“Typical. In overtime you throw it at the net and anything can happen,” Mitchell said. “It just went off my leg.”
Mitchell was more upset by Dallas’ failure to maintain a third-period lead for the second consecutive game. Dallas led 4-3 late in Game 2 and lost 5-4 in OT. In Game 3 the Stars led 3-2 before Andrew Brunette’s 6-on-4 (counting the pulled goalie) power-play goal forced overtime.
“We’ve got to shut the door on the coffin, so to speak, in the last two minutes, and we didn’t,” Mitchell said. “We’re down 3-0 because of it.”
Dallas didn’t produce a shot during the first 10 minutes and committed the only two penalties of the first period. But the Stars, who tied it at 1-1 on Stu Barnes’ short-handed goal, trailed only 2-1 heading into the second.
Dallas’ Jon Klemm and Sergei Zubov scored in the second period, and the Stars’ penalty killers blanked Colorado on five consecutive power plays before Brunette tied it with 57 seconds left in regulation.
It was Klemm’s seventh career playoff goal in 102 games.
His previous playoff goal was in 2001 against the Los Angeles Kings while he was playing for the Avalanche.
Klemm is making his eighth playoff appearance but first with the Stars, who acquired the 36-year-old in a 2003 trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. Klemm missed all five games during the 2004 playoffs – all against the Avs – because of a groin injury.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
