When he wasn't whacking someone, or stepping into someone, Steve Ott was setting someone up.
Last night the Dallas Stars forward was all over the ice, up in the Edmonton Oilers grill and scattered over the game sheet.
Ott set up a pair of goals as the Dallas Stars snapped a 10-game road losing skid with a 4-3 win over the Oilers.
"Steve is a pretty good player, he gets in on the play very quickly, he's very good on the forecheck and very good when he drives to the net," said Stars head coach Marc Crawford. "Tonight he was at his best going to the net. He was very good on the power play and was able to draw a couple of penalties with his speed going through the zone."
Originally drafted by the Stars in the first round -- 25th overall -- of the 2000 draft, the native of Summerside, P.E.I., had 10 goals and seven assists heading into Friday's contest. Last season he scored 19 goals and added 27 assists for 46 points in 64 games.
"Lately when you have guys missing you try to do a little bit extra," Ott said.
"Everyone is trying to do a little bit extra. Our line, we were able to put something together and we were able to get a couple on them."
Ott got things going for the Stars, accepting a Tom Gilbert gift at the Oilers blue-line in the first period, and teeing it up for Stephane Robidas, who blew it past Devan Dubnyk.
In the second, Ott took a pass from Brian Sutherby off the boards, and fed Jamie Benn on a two-on-one rush to put the Stars up 3-1.
Apart from the two assists, Ott did his best to be a thorn in the side of the Oilers all night. He took a pair of minors, drew a pair of minors and stepped into Zack Stortini sending the Oilers winger flying in the second period.
"I'm going to get penalties every once in a while from aggressive play," Ott said. "But I have to bring an edge every night. I hate to cross over the line, I try to be respectful not to cross over that line, but once in a while I drift. But I want to continue to push hard and make those other guys compete out there."
DEREK.VANDIEST@SUNMEDIA.CA
