San Jose, CA (My Sportsbook) - Rookie James Neal scored twice and the Dallas Stars halted their five-game skid with a 4-1 victory over San Jose at the Shark Tank.

Brian Sutherby and Mike Modano both added a goal and an assist for the Stars, who avoided what could have been the club's first six-game losing streak since 1995. Marty Turco made 24 saves in the win.

Joe Thornton scored the lone goal for San Jose, which has dropped three of four following a four-game win streak. This marked the first time this season that San Jose lost two consecutive games in regulation. The Sharks suffered a 3-2 setback in regulation in Montreal on Saturday.

San Jose backup goaltender Brian Boucher made his third consecutive start in place of Evgeni Nabokov, who remained on the shelf with flu-like symptoms. Boucher allowed four goals on 31 shots.

The teams traded goals in the opening period.

At the 6:35 mark of the first, Neal's 19th goal -- a rebound tally at the left post assisted by Sutherby and Fabian Brunnstrom -- gave the Stars a 1-0 lead.

Near the midpoint of the period, though, the Sharks knotted the contest on the power play. With Nicklas Grossman in the penalty box for holding, the Sharks worked the puck around the perimeter before Christian Ehrhoff's shot from the left circle was tipped home by Thornton from atop the crease at 9:07.

In the waning seconds of the opening stanza, a scrum ensued along the rear boards and San Jose's Joe Pavelski was accused of head-butting veteran Dallas defenseman Darryl Sydor. Pavelski was slapped with the five-minute major for the head butt along with a match penalty for what was deemed as intent to injure, which of course disqualified him for the remainder of the game.

Replays from several angles did not appear to catch the supposed head butt.

The major penalty carried over into the second period and midway through the power play, Rob Blake went to the penalty box and Dallas skated two men up. Although the Sharks made several clears, the visitors finally cashed in with three seconds remaining on the 5-on-3 advantage. Mike Ribeiro held control above the left circle and sent a pass through the slot for Modano, whose sizzling one-timer from inside the lower right circle beat Boucher at 4:24.

The Stars pushed their lead to 3-1 at the 6:32 mark of the final stanza on Sutherby's tap-in from the left post following a fight for the loose puck along the rear boards.

Neal's second marker of the night only 1:23 later put the nail in the coffin. Modano and Neal broke in on a 2-on-1, with Modano holding control of the puck along the left side. Modano then passed across the slot for a blazing one- timer by Neal from the inner rim of the right circle that flew past Boucher.

Game Notes

The last time the Stars lost six consecutive games was December 5-15, 1995...Dallas also halted its four-game losing streak overall versus San Jose...This marked only the third home regulation loss for San Jose this season (26-3-3)...The Sharks ended 1-for-5 on the power play, while the visitors were 1-for-6 with the extra skater...Attendance was 17,496.