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Stars Gameday: 3/8/12 vs. Sharks

March 8, 2012, 7:24 AM ET [2 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Dallas Stars Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
PREVIEW 6:00 AM CST

When the NHL stretch run rolls around, there is no time for a team to feel too high about a big win or too low about a loss. The Dallas Stars (36-26-5) bring a 7-0-1 record in their last eight games, are in first place in the Pacific Division and are coming in off a huge win in Vancouver. But the sunny outlook can change in a hurry unless they continue rolling.

Tonight, the Stars clash head-to-head with the San Jose Sharks (33-24-8). Dallas holds a three-point advantage over the Sharks in the chase for the third seed in the Western Conference but San Jose has two games in hand. That makes a win tonight extremely important for both teams.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m. CST and will be broadcast locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

This is the fourth of six meetings between the teams this season, and the second of three in Dallas. The Sharks have had little trouble dispatching the Stars in each of the games to date; grabbing three regulation wins by a combined 14-5 score. Ten different Sharks players have compiled two or more points in the season series to date, led by Joe Thornton's six points (1G, 5A) and two goals and two assists apiece from Joe Pavelski and the since-traded Jamie McGinn.

The Stars have been getting outstanding goaltending of late from both Kari Lehtonen (who returns to the net tonight) and backup Richard Bachman. They have also gotten clutch play from virtually off their key forwards -- Loui Eriksson, Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder and Jamie Benn in particular -- and the role players, defensemen and youngsters have all been getting the job done of late for Glen Gulutzan's team.

Defenseman Trevor Daley got banged up last game, but is not on the injury list for tonight's game. Assuming Daley is good to go, the Stars will continue using the same lineup. The club remains without captain Brenden Morrow (IR, neck/shoulders/upper back) and fourth liner Jake Dowell (broken finger).

The Sharks enter this game coming off a 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers via shootout. Overall, San Jose is now winless in its last three games and 2-7-2 over its last 11 games.
San Jose is actually relatively healthy for this time of year, but finished its four-game homestand with a 1-4-1 record. Tonight's game marks the start of a four-game road trip.

San Jose will be without right winger Martin Havlat (hamstring) tonight. The club will otherwise have its starting lineup intact.

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