On paper, the deck is severely stacked against the Dallas Stars' (24-19-1) bid to avoid a three-game losing streak when they take on the Detroit Red Wings (29-15-1) at the American Airlines Center tonight. The game starts at 7:30 PM CST and will be broadcast locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the third of four meetings between the teams this season, and the final one in Dallas. The Red Wings have won both previous games in regulation, as comeback bids by the Stars ultimately fell short in 5-2 and 5-4 losses.
Tonight's game is the third in four nights for the Stars, who remain without top two centers Jamie Benn (ruptured appendix) and Mike Ribeiro (sprained MCL) and puck-moving rookie defenseman Philip Larsen (concussion). Dallas was on the road last night in St. Louis, losing a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Blues.
Last night, Kari Lehtonen did everything possible to hold his depleted team in the game. The other Dallas players paid the price physically and worked their tails off. Sheldon Souray and Radek Dvorak both hobbled off with injuries but returned to the game. Unfortunately, the punchless Dallas offense couldn't put a puck in the net. When the Blues finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the third period, it may as well have been a three-goal deficit.
Richard Bachman will get the start in goal tonight for the Stars. He played well in his most recent start.
Detroit has won seven of its last 10 games. The Red Wings enter this game coming off a 5-0 shutout of the Buffalo Sabres. But the Wings have been much, much better on home ice -- where they have won 15 in a row and sport a gaudy 18-2-1 record -- than they have been on the road (11-13-0).
Johan Franzén has scored the game-winner in both games between the Wings and Stars so far this season. Valtteri Filppula has racked up five points, while 15 different Detroit players have recorded at least one point in the two games. Michael Ryder and Loui Eriksson have each tallied a pair of goals for Dallas in the two matches.
The Red Wings will be without checking winger Patrick Eaves (broken jaw) and third-pairing defenseman Mike Commodore (foot).
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