Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Stars Gameday: 12/3/11 vs Islanders

December 3, 2011, 5:43 AM ET [ Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Dallas Stars Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
PREVIEW 4:15 AM CST

The Dallas Stars (15-9-1) are a team that wins by out-gritting their opposition, not giving up on games and not taking things for granted. In facing the New York Islanders (7-11-5) tonight at the American Airlines Center, the Stars face a potential "trap" game. The game starts at 7:30 PM CST and will be broadcast locally on TXA-21.

This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They will rematch in in Uniondale's venerable Nassau County Coliseum later this month. Last year, the Stars traveled to New York in the opening week of the regular season, defeating the Islanders 5-4 via shootout. Brenden Morrow scored a pair for the Stars, while Jamie Benn and Stephane Robidas tallied single goals. Mike Ribeiro scored the winner in the shootout.

Tonight's game in which the Stars had better be careful from the outset. There are so many times that a team can afford to have to chase games before it catches up to them. The Stars need to get back to playing from ahead with more regularity.

The Islanders have a miserable record overall. They have only 2 wins on the road, and are in the final game of a road trip. Even so, they have played much better hockey of late and had won their last two games before falling to Chicago last night via shootout, 5-4.

In last night's game, New York was unable to protect leads of 1-0 and 2-1. But the team rallied back from deficits of 3-2 and 4-3 to force OT. Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, PA Parentau and Nino Niedereitter scored the goals for the Islanders. Al Montoya stopped 32 of 36 shots in regulation and overtime. The goalie denied Marian Hossa during the shootout but was unable to stop Jonathan Toews, while none of the three Islanders shooters (Frans Nielsen, Niedereitter and Moulson) were able to score.

The Stars were idle last night. On Thursday, the club pulled off its fifth third-period comeback of the season to defeat the Ottawa Senators. Eric Nystrom and Radek Dvorak keyed the comeback.

As stated several times previously, the Stars cannot keep relying on their third line to carry the offense. The Benn and Ribeiro lines need to start producing with regularity again. The top two lines have been far too sporadic of late.

Vernon Fiddler (groin), Michael Ryder (leg) and Sheldon Souray (bumps and bruises) did not practice yesterday. They were all given maintenance days but are expected to play Saturday as they have been throughout the last week.

Elsewhere on the injury front, the Stars will still be without a host of starters in the Islanders' game: Alex Goligoski (broken thumb), Morrow (back), Adam Burish (broken hand) and Kari Lehtonen (groin) all remain on injured reserve. Trevor Daley (back) is also out.

Goligoski was scheduled yesterday to get the cast off his hand. He will need some practice time with the team but appears likely to return during the team’s upcoming road trip, according to ESPN Dallas. Morrow and Daley are also expected to return during the trip.

******

KINDLE USERS: Please subscribe to Stars Buzz; a one-stop feed for all things Dallas Stars-related at HockeyBuzz. Content is automatically updated whenever a new blog is published. For more information, click here.
Join the Discussion: » Comments » Post New Comment
More from Bill Meltzer
» NHL Statement on Stars' COVID Situation
» SCF: Tampa wins Stanley Cup with 2-0 Shutout
» SCF: Stars Extend Series to a Game 6 w/ Double OT win
» SCF: Stars Have No Time to Lament What Could Have Been
» SCF: Uphill Climb Falls Short Again in Game 3