DENVER – Mike Ribeiro had a goal and an assist, Brenden Morrow and Loui Eriksson also scored and the Dallas Stars stayed alive in the playoff race with a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.
Kari Lehtonen had 15 saves for the Stars.
Brandon Yip had two goals, Jonas Holos two assists and Peter Budaj made 25 saves for the Avalanche, assured of finishing with their lowest point total since moving to Colorado in 1995.
Before the game, Colorado defenseman Adam Foote announced that he will retire at the end of the season. Foote, the captain for the last two seasons, has missed the last 12 games with a leg injury but hopes to play in the season finale Sunday against Edmonton.
Foote spent 17 of his 19 seasons with the Quebec/Colorado franchise and was part of Stanley Cup championships in 1996 and 2001. He is the last player on the team to have been a member of the Nordiques.
Ribeiro started the scoring with his 19th goal midway through the first period. Eriksson made it 2-0 when Brad Richards fed him from behind the net, and Eriksson one-timed for his 27th goal of the season.
The Avalanche cut the lead to 2-1 when Yip scored a short-handed goal with 6:52 left in the second period.
The Stars got their two-goal cushion back when Morrow scored his team-leading 32nd goal 40 seconds into the third, but Yip got this second goal of the game and 12th of the season with 15 minutes left to make it 3-2.
Budaj left for an extra attacker with 1:22 left but Colorado couldn't get the equalizer.
NOTES: Avalanche D Erik Johnson (head) was a scratch. ... The teams split the four-game season series. ... The Stars have not allowed a power-play goal in the last five games.
(This version CORRECTS Stars 3, Avalanche 2. Corrects to "keep" in headline.)
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