PREVIEW 11:30 AM CST

Now in a three-way point tie (but ahead on tie-breakers) in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars (32-26-4) are about to start seeing a lot of the powerhouse Vancouver Canucks (40-16-6). Today's game at the American Airlines Center starts at 2 PM CST and will be broadcast locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

With just 20 games to go in the regular season, the Stars have yet to play a match this season against Vancouver. That could work for or against Dallas, who got crushed in last year's season series with the Canucks (0-4-0, outscored by a combined 20-5 margin) but will also have a lot more to play for down the stretch than the Canucks. If the season ended today, these two clubs would meet in the first round of the playoffs.

The Stars bring a three-game winning streak into today game. Kari Lehtonen has allowed just one goal over his last two starts, and will need to remain extremely sharp for the Stars to skate off with one or two points from this game. With Jamie Benn still sidelined by a laceration from a skate, Mike Ribeiro has reeled off a six-game point streak (2G, 6A) and Michael Ryder has been the team's most reliable goal scorer.

Benn remains unlikely to be ready for today's game. Philip Larsen is probable today after leaving Friday's game after taking a puck to his head and sustaining a cut. Captain Brenden Morrow (neck/shoulder/back) and fourth line center Jake Dowell (broken finger) are still on injured reserve.

Vancouver is in the midst of a six-game road trip but has played very well of late. They've won their last two games and eight of the last 10 (8-1-1). Both Sedin twins have been hot of late, with eight points in their last five games, and the Canucks' defense and goaltending have been in the zone of late as well.


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