As business trips go, there are worse places to be sent for two days than the Bay Area. Unless, of course, you’re business is trying to beat the San Jose Sharks at the HP Pavilion.

Your chances for a successful trip decline dramatically when show up for a meeting with the Sharks and their stingy defense (1.22 goals allowed per game, second in the league), carrying a brief case that contains the league’s 26th ranked offense, as Dallas did.

Despite appearing unprepared, the offensively challenged Stars took care of business in Silicon Valley last week by sweeping the Sharks. They even found time to mix a little pleasure with their business, doing a little sightseeing in and around San Francisco.

The Stars’ road sweep began with a 3-2 Stars shootout win. Dallas then controlled the rematch en route to a 4-2 win. The back-to-back wins represented the third time Dallas has taken consecutive road games from a divisional opponent in the last two years. They turned the same trick in both Anaheim and Los Angeles last season.

“It was,” Dallas coach Dave Tippett said, “a good week for us.”

Not so good for San Jose. Coach Ron Wilson said the Sharks went from good to great in a matter of 48 hours. If this one were a playoff series, the Sharks would be in trouble. As it is, second-place San Jose might be hearing footsteps in the Pacific Division.

After the Stars took consecutive games from the Sharks, they are now within five points of them in the standings. At stake is the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. Dallas has been able to manufacture wins despite struggling offensively. The Stars have scored just 124 goals thus far in 2006-07.

Things have been better at the other end of the rink where Marty Turco has played in 21-consecutive games in goal. The Stars are fourth in the league in goals allowed (128), and Turco’s 2.29 goals-against average is sixth best in the league, while his four shutouts tie him with six other goalies for fourth in the league.

The Stars have been efficient, posting a record of 18-9 in one-goal games.

Defenseman Philippe Boucher’s 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) lead the Stars, but rank him 102nd overall among NHL scorers. Boucher has missed the last two games and is currently listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury.

The Stars offense should get a spark from the return of Mike Modano, who has one point in three games since returning from a knee injury that shelved him for 23 games.

Who’s hot -- Anaheim’s Jean-Sebastien Giguere has shown little rust in three starts since returning from a groin injury that sidelined him for 11 games.
MCDONALD
Giguere is 2-1-0 with a 1.67 goals against average and .934 save percentage since returning to the Ducks’ goal crease. Anaheim center Andy McDonald has 10 points in his last eight games, while right wing Teemu Selanne has 17 points in 14 games. ...Michael Cammelleri and Alexander Frolov of Los Angeles each have five points in their last two games. Although the Kings are mired in last place in the Pacific Division, and are ahead of only Philadelphia in the overall NHL standings, both players are having a career years; Frolov is on pace for 42 goals and 80 points; Cammelleri is on his way to 33 goals and 75 points. Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky, L.A.’s lone all-star, has two points in his last two games, while goaltender Sean Burke picked up his first shutout Saturday in Florida. ... Coyote goaltender Curtis Joseph has a 1.68 goals against average and .950 save percentage in his last three games. ... Joe Thornton of the Sharks has 28 points in 14 games while teammate Patrick Marleau has picked up 24 points in 14 games.

Not hot -- The Ducks, who have lost five of seven games, are not hot. Rob Niedermayer has not scored in nine games. ... Phoenix goaltender Mikael Tellqvist has cooled, going 1-1-0 with a 4.51 goals against average and .855 save percentage in his last two outings. ... Jonathan Cheechoo of San Jose has just one point in his last six games. Cheechoo, who won the Rocket Richard Trophy last season with 56 goals, is on pace for less than half that many (26) this year.

Rumor mill -- Anaheim defenseman Scott Niedermayer, sidelined since Jan. 19 by a stress fracture in his right foot, has resumed skating and is expected to return to the Ducks’ lineup this week, possibly as soon as Tuesday at San Jose.
CONROY
Anaheim is one of several teams believed to be interested in Philadelphia’s Peter Forsberg, who is slated to become a free agent July 1. ... The Kings dealt Craig Conroy to Calgary last week, and GM Dean Lombardi isn’t likely to stop there. Rob Blake is among the other Kings veterans who could be dealt for younger players or draft picks. ... Dallas forward Steve Ott remains sidelined indefinitely with a broken ankle.

The week ahead -- It’s rivalry week in California, and we’re not talking about Cal-Stanford, or UCLA-USC basketball. The Ducks and Sharks square off in a home-and-home series that begins Tuesday in Northern California, before concluding Wednesday in Orange County. The Ducks open the series with a three-point lead on the Sharks, with both teams having played 53 games. San Jose is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games; the Ducks are 4-4-2 over the same period. The Ducks lead the season series thus far, 2-1.

After the two-game showdown, the Ducks embark on a four-game trip that takes them to Dallas, Colorado, Phoenix and Los Angeles. For the Sharks, the back-end of the two-game series is the first game of a taxing eight-game road trip.

Dallas kicks off a five-game homestand by hosting Minnesota Tuesday. They then host Anaheim (Saturday), Colorado (Sunday), Detroit (Feb. 14), and San Jose (Feb. 18).

Phoenix embarks on a four-game trip Tuesday with a game at Columbus; the Coyotes then travel to Detroit (Wednesday), Florida (Saturday), and Tampa Bay (Feb. 13).

After winning the first game of a five-game trip Saturday in Florida, the Kings head to Tampa Bay (Tuesday), Washington (Thursday), Nashville (Saturday), and Carolina (Feb. 13).