from Craig Custance of ESPN,

The wins won't ever come easier for Dallas Stars netminder Antti Niemi, who relieved Kari Lehtonen in Tuesday's wild win over the Hurricanes and got the win without facing a single shot. Niemi can thank Patrick Sharp, whose late goal ended Carolina's comeback bid. It may not always be pretty for the Stars, but it's definitely entertaining.

They're threatening to run away with the best division in hockey, and their 44 points are three more than any other team in the league right now. Still, in talking to people about Dallas, I've noticed some hesitation to include them among the Western Conference royalty like the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks, perhaps because of the wide-open style the Stars play.

So, I ask you, is Dallas becoming the Western Conference's Stanley Cup favorite as the points pile up?

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