PREVIEW 8:00 AM CDT
Winners of six straight games and hoping to extend an 11-game point streak (10-0-1), the Pacific Division leading Dallas Stars (39-26-5) now skate into the teeth of the stretch drive as they head to Manitoba to take on the Winnipeg Jets (32-29-8). The game starts at 7:30 p.m. CDT and will be broadcast locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the lone meeting of the season between the teams, and the first since the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg and became the Jets. All-time, Dallas enjoys an 11-1-1 record in games against the former Atlanta franchise. Last year, the Stars routed their opponent by a 6-1 count in their only game of the season.
Everything has been going right for the Stars of late. The team is coming off a 1-0 win in Minnesota last night -- the scorching hot Kari Lehtonen's second shutout in a row -- and has been getting clutch performances from its key players as well as outstanding work on the penalty killing end of special teams. Nevertheless, tonight's game is concerning:
1) The Stars finally won the second half of back-to-back games in their most recent try, but are still only 1-9-2 in such games this season. They will need a win tonight to truly put that in the rear-view mirror.
2) Winnipeg is a very good home team. The Jets are 21-10-4 on home ice this season, which ranks the club in the top one-third (8th overall) of the league.
3) The Jets have lost back-to-back games heading into this one, and their playoff hopes are fading. The club finds itself six points behind Washington for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. As a result, this is a must-win game for the Jets.
4) On the flip side, the Stars have played so well lately, they actually have created some margin for error for themselves. This is not a must-win game, as Dallas will still be in first place in the Pacific Division even if they lose in regulation and Phoenix wins tonight. Even so, it is important that the Stars -- who have some very tough opponents coming up -- not suffer a letdown game tonight.
If Glen Gulutzan holds true to his usual goalie rotation, Richard Bachman will get the start tonight because its a back-to-back and the middle game of a three-in-four. The rookie has played quite well in his own right when he's gotten the chance to start, recording wins over Chicago and Vancouver during the Stars' current run.
On the injury front, the Stars will almost definitely remain without Sheldon Souray (lower body injury) tonight. Radek Dvorak (ankle) is listed as questionable. For Winnipeg, hulking defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (lower body) is probable to play, while fellow blueliner Zach Bogosian (wrist) is questionable and right winger Chris Thorburn (lower body) is out.
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