DALLAS (Reuters) - Marc Crawford was fired as coach of the Dallas Stars on Tuesday as the axe continued to fall on those who failed to get their teams to the playoffs.
The Stars were in position to reach the postseason for the first time since 2008 but lost 5-3 to Minnesota in the final game of the NHL regular season on Sunday.
"I would like to thank Marc for the hard work he provided to the Dallas Stars over the last two seasons," Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk said in a statement. "We wish him the best in the future."
Crawford, who guided the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in 1996 and earned coach of the year honors, compiled a 79-60-25 record in two seasons with Dallas.
He becomes the fourth coach to be sacked in as many day as Ottawa's Cory Clouston, Florida's Peter DeBoer and Minnesota's Tood Richards were all dismissed.
(Editing by Frank Pingue; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)