Modano sets scoring mark in Dallas’ victory

Dallas center Mike Modano broke Phil Housley’s NHL record for career points by an American-born player with two quick goals in the opening minutes of the Stars’ 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at San Jose.

Modano’s back-to-back goals, including a short-handed record-breaker, in the first 4:24 gave him 1,233 points in 1,253 regular-season games -- 242 games fewer than Housley played.

Modano, a 37-year-old Michigan native who has spent his entire career with the Stars in Minnesota and Dallas, moved into 35th place on the NHL’s career scoring list, trailing Peter Stastny by six points.

Modano became the American career goal-scoring leader March 17 with two goals against Nashville, surpassing Joe Mullen’s previous record of 502. The three-time U.S. Olympian moved into 33rd place among all NHL goal-scorers with 511, breaking his tie with Pittsburgh’s Mark Recchi.

Modano tied Housley’s mark by beating Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov on a long slap shot only 2:19 in.

Mere moments after the Shark Tank crowd gave a warm round of applause for Modano’s achievement, the star center broke away for a short-handed goal 4:24 in, slipping the puck under Nabokov to break the record.

The San Jose crowd applauded less graciously that time around, well aware Modano had put its team in a big hole with his usual dynamic skills. Modano still acknowledged the cheers with a wave of his glove.

Modano was the first overall pick in the 1988 draft.

In other games:

Detroit won its eighth in a row with a 3-2 shootout victory over visiting Nashville. . . . Clarke MacArthur scored 3:16 into overtime and Ryan Miller made 25 saves for the Buffalo Sabres, who ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Boston at Buffalo, N.Y.

Joffrey Lupul and Jeff Carter scored on two of Philadelphia’s first three shots and the visiting Flyers scored a 3-1 victory against the Sabres. . . . Martin St. Louis and Jan Hlavac scored first-period goals and Johan Holmqvist stopped 22 shots to help Tampa Bay end a six-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over Florida at Tampa, Fla.

Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith scored during a decisive stretch in the third period, and Chicago rallied to beat Columbus, 5-2, at Chicago. . . . Wojtek Wolski and Marek Svatos scored shootout goals to lead Colorado to a 4-3 shootout victory over Edmonton at Denver, the Avalanche’s sixth victory in seven games. Colorado goalie Peter Budaj finished with 30 saves.