PREVIEW 6:00 AM CST
Looking for their fifth consecutive win and a stronger grip on at least the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff chase, the Dallas Stars (33-26-4) face another tall order tonight when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins (36-21-5) at the American Airlines Center. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. CST and will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network.
This is the second and final meeting between the teams this season. Back in November, the Stars were off to an 11-3-0 start on the season and had won their first two games of a treacherous road trip before heading into Pittsburgh.
Dallas scored first but was unable to build on the lead. Ex-Stars winger James Neal drove a dagger in his former team by scoring a pair of goals (both occurring shortly after Dallas seemingly got a reprieve when would-be Penguins' goals were disallowed). Pittsburgh won, 3-1, which was the beginning of the Stars' first downward cycle of the season.
The Stars have been getting world class goaltending of late from Kari Lehtonen, and he will need to keep up his clutch play tonight, along with the red-hot Mike Ribeiro (3 goals, 10 points in the last 7 games), Michael Ryder and Loui Eriksson.
Dallas expects to have Jamie Benn (lacerated leg) back in the lineup tonight after a six-game absence. Team captain Brenden Morrow (IR, neck/shoulders/back) remains unavailable, as does Jake Dowell (broken finger).
Pittsburgh brings a three-game winning streak into tonight. NHL leading scorer Evgeni Malkin has racked up five goals over that span. The club is coming off weekend victories over Tampa Bay and Columbus.
Tonight's game pits two clubs that have been on a roll on special teams against each other. Over the Penguins' last four games, they've connected on 6 of 13 power play (46.2 percent). The Stars are 21-for-23 (91.3%) on the penalty kill over their last seven games, but would be well advised to play with similar discipline to the game against Vancouver on Sunday. The Penguins have also been outstanding on the PK over the last month, killing penalties at a 94.9 percent clip (37-for-39) in their last 12 games.
Pittsburgh remains without superstar center Sidney Crosby and right winger Tyler Kennedy (ankle). Checking forward Arron Asham (upper body injury) and backup goalie Brent Johnson (illness) are on day-to-day status.
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