In battle of Joes, Nieuwendyk finally tips scale.(The Dallas Morning News)

DALLAS _ Ordinary Joe dipped his head and banged his stick against the ice in overtime. That's what two goals in 15 playoff games will do to you.

Extraordinary Joe raised his stick toward the Reunion Arena roof as fireworks exploded high above. That's what a game winner in sudden death will do for you.

For four games and 60 minutes of the fifth, Joe Sakic and Joe Nieuwendyk couldn't shake their new, uncomfortable ordinary Joe tags. Two Conn Smythe winners, two team leaders were stuck in neutral.

That was until Nieuwendyk dashed from out of the left corner toward Patrick Roy's crease and tipped a Richard Matvichuk shot into the net 12:10 into overtime.

With that, the Stars won a 3-2 hockey game.

With that, the Stars took a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.

With that, all criticism of Nieuwendyk was rendered moot. All the faint praise from coach Ken Hitchcock became history.