SAN JOSE, Calif. - Maybe the hockey gods felt that they had rained enough on Mike Modano's parade.

Maybe he just needed a little help from his friends.

Maybe he finally just said "What the heck."

Whatever the reason, Modano was able to shake the great slump of 2007 on Wednesday night and finally eclipse Phil Housley's record for most points scored by an American-born player by posting his 1,233rd career regular-season point.

And it really couldn't have been a more perfect scenario.

Modano scored two picture-perfect goals on two picture-perfect assists from his two picture-perfect teammates - Jere Lehtinen and Sergei Zubov. The goals led the way to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks before a sellout crowd at HP Pavilion that pushed the 7-6-2 Stars past the Sharks and into first place in the Pacific Division.

"I think the longer it's drawn out, the more it's forced me to appreciate the situation and kind of enjoy it," Modano said. "It's dragged me down a little bit emotionally, thinking about it every night, but the two tonight couldn't have been written up any better."

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Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars poses with the puck used to get his NHL record.

Modano opened the scoring in the first period when he blasted a slap shot from the left wing past the glove of Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov at the 2:19 mark. Zubov sprung him into open ice with his 59th assist on a Modano goal. The second goal came just 2:05 later when Lehtinen and Modano were the forwards on a penalty kill.

Lehtinen, who has assisted on 88 of Modano's goals (more than any other teammate), tipped a puck out of the defensive zone and sent Modano off on a breakaway. Modano tried a triple deke and appeared to lose control of the puck, but then he poked it through the pads of Nabokov at the last second for the 511th goal of his career (expanding his own record as the most for an American-born player).

"I think it was fitting that he was all alone on a breakaway from the red line in with the spotlight on him, because it's been on him for a long time and he's handled with a lot of grace and humility and a lot of great play," said goalie Marty Turco, who had 38 saves in the win.

Lehtinen added that he also had a special feeling when he saw the puck go into the net.

AP

Mike Modano (9) scores his record-breaking goal for the Dallas Stars in San Jose.

"We've been together so long, it was great to be out there," Lehtinen said. "It was special for him ... I'm going to remember that for a long time."

The quick strikes were met with screams of disapproval from Sharks fans, who have watched their team go 1-4-0 at home this season. But those boos quickly turned into a standing ovation when it was announced in the building that Modano had become the greatest American-born scorer.

"The accomplishment is phenomenal," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "What he has meant to hockey in the United States goes without saying, and he does it with such class. It was great to see him get it."

Especially when you consider that the record had been weighing on Modano.

"Every night, I went out there and tried to do something, but it wasn't meant to be," he told FSN Southwest of the pursuit of the record and his struggle to get five points in the first 14 games. "It's a great relief, a lot of weight off the shoulders. Finally, take a deep breath and enjoy it a little bit."

Briefly: The Stars have scheduled a Modano tribute night for Nov. 21 and plan to honor him before the game against the Anaheim Ducks. ... Defenseman Mattias Norstrom left the game in the first period with facial lacerations and did not return. The Stars, who are carrying only six defensemen, might have to call up a player from the minors for tonight's game at Phoenix. ... Marty Turco registered his second assist in as many games. ... Sergei Zubov missed a penalty shot in the first period. It was his first penalty shot in a Stars' uniform. ... Steve Ott scored his first goal of the year. ... San Jose had a second-period goal waived off because Milan Michalek stepped on Turco's leg.