DALLAS (AP) -- After celebrating an NHL title won with a gritty defense, the Dallas Stars showed Friday night why they believe they can repeat as champions with a juiced-up offense.

Mike Modano scored twice and Brett Hull and Joe Nieuwendyk each had a goal and two assists as the Stars beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 in the opener, spoiling Mario Lemieux's debut as the owner of his former team.

	Mike Modano and the Stars had Pens goalie Tom Barrasso feeling the pressure Friday.

"With all the hoopla going on this week, this was something good for us to build on," Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock said.

The Stars, who savored their championship one last time with a 20-minute pregame ceremony, looked different the minute they stepped on the ice thanks to new uniforms. By the second period, it was obvious more than that had changed.

Instead of playing to protect a 2-1 lead, Dallas kept trying to score -- and did.

Modano and Juha Lind each beat Tom Barrasso 1:43 apart early in the period to make it 4-1. Pittsburgh's German Titov trimmed it to 4-2 at 13:10 of the second, but Dallas' Jamie Langenbrunner responded with a goal two minutes later.

Modano's second goal made it 6-2 and not even two goals in a span of 1:13 could bring back the Penguins.

"When we get a chance to squeeze people this year, we want to continue to attack as much as possible on both ends," Hitchcock said. "We've got the speed to just keep going."

Dallas replaced several slow-footed, defensive-minded veterans with faster, more-skilled, young players. As a result, Hitchcock loosened his tight grip on the offense.

Although playing the high-flying Penguins forces all teams to go on the offensive, the Stars remained in control.

Dallas didn't commit a penalty until late in the third period, but the ensuing power play lasted only 13 seconds. The Stars cashed in on six of their power plays, including their game-tying first goal by Nieuwendyk on a two-man advantage.

"It was a strange game," said Penguins star Jaromir Jagr, who opened defense of his scoring title with a perfect assist just 3:10 into the game. "We were short-handed all night. In my 10 years, I've never played a game when I never was on a power play."

The Stars didn't have a six-goal game until their 22nd game last season. They reached that total just six more times the rest of the year, but didn't need much offense thanks to a throttling defense that carried them to the best regular-season record.

Starting defenseman Richard Matvichuk ended a summer-long holdout by signing a four-year deal hours before the game, but won't play until at least next week. The team also announced that goaltender Ed Belfour has agreed to a two-year extension.

Belfour, now under contract until he's 38, gave up a goal on the first shot he saw. He was beaten again in the second period and twice in the third.

"It's nice to get the first game behind you," said Belfour, who also had his first assist in four years.

The sellout crowd of 17,001 was seated long before the game, and began cheering as soon as the house lights went down. The celebration began with playoff highlights shown on the big screen above center ice.

Next came a light show that featured multicolored lasers drawing on the ice the Stanley Cup and five other trophies won by the team and players.

Then the real things were shown off -- minus the most important one.

After individual introductions of this year's team, captain Derian Hatcher slowly skated out of the tunnel carrying a very buffed and polished Stanley Cup. He made a trip around the ice, then placed it on a pedastal alongside the other hardware.

"When Hatch skated the Cup around again, it gave everybody goosebumps," Langenbrunner said.

Four alternate captains then tugged away black drapes to reveal white banners for various accomplishments from last season.

Hatcher capped the festivities by unveiling the centerpiece: a slightly larger black banner with yellow and green trim that reads Stanley Cup Champions in large white letters across the center. It has a Stars logo on top; beneath is the NHL logo and 1998-99.

Hitchcock couldn't take his eyes off the banners as they drifted toward the Reunion Arena rafters.

"This was the first time in my coaching career that I've allowed myself to enjoy something like this," he said. "I wanted to absorb it, take it in and enjoy it. And I did."