PREVIEW 9:30 AM CST

The second half of the lockout-shortened 2013 season gets underway tonight for the Dallas Stars (12-10-2) when they host the Nashville Predators (10-9-6) at the American Airlines Center. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. CST and will be broadcasted locally on Fox Sports Southwest Plus.

This is the second of three meetings between the teams this season, and the lone one in Dallas. On Feb. 25, the Stars had to settle for one point in a disappointing 5-4 overtime loss. Matt Fraser scored his first NHL goal, while Reilly Smith, Vernon Fiddler and Loui Eriksson tallied goals in the midst of a four-goal explosion in the second period that ultimately went for naught. Cristopher Nilstorp was in goal for Dallas due to injury to Kari Lehtonen.

Tonight's game marks the start of a four-game homestand for the Stars, and the beginning of a stretch of play that will see nine of the next 11 games in Dallas, It's a tremendous opportunity for the Stars but they have not been especially good at home (5-4-1) thus far.

Jaromir Jagr has been on a roll for the Stars of late. He has scored goals in each of the last four games; extending his team-leading production to 10 goals and 18 points on the season. Meanwhile, Lehtonen has remained a rock of strength in goal, playing to his usual standard in each of his last two starts after feeling his way through his first game back after the groin injury.

The Stars lost 2-1 in Phoenix on Saturday night, but have played pretty good hockey over the last week.

On the injury front, Ray Whitney (broken foot) is finally close to being ready to play. He practiced yesterday and is listed as questionable for tonight. Team captain Brenden Morrow (groin pull) practiced yesterday but left early. He, too, is listed as questionable for tonight but it sounds like he's out. Top line center Jamie Benn missed practice yesterday with a wrist injury (x-rays were negative but he has a lot of soreness); his status for tonight is unknown as of this writing.

The Predators enter this game coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to Minnesota on Saturday. Tonight's game marks the start of a five-game road trip. Injury-wise, they are missing Patric Hörnqvist (upper body, IR), Colin Wilson (upper body, IR) and defenseman Hal Gill (lower body). Brandon Yip was activated from IR yesterday.


PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)

STARS -- (Based on yesterday's practice lines)

72 Erik Cole - 11 Derek Roy - 13 Ray Whitney
18 Reilly Smith -20 Cody Eakin - 68 Jaromir Jagr
81 Tomas Vincour - 60 Antoine Roussel - 21 Loui Eriksson
24 Eric Nystrom - 38 Vernon Fiddler - 40 Ryan Garbutt

4 Brenden Dillon - 3 Stephane Robidas
43 Jamie Oleksiak - 33 Alex Goligoski
58 Jordie Benn - 6 Trevor Daley

32 Kari Lehtonen
[31 Richard Bachman]


PREDATORS (per Dailyfaceoff.com)

19 Bobby Butler - 15 Craig Smith - 10 Martin Erat
13 Nick Spaling - 12 Mike Fisher - 23 Zach Boychuk
57 Gabriel Bourque - 11 David Legwand - 24 Matt Halischuk
16 Richard Clune - 28 Paul Gaustad - 74 Sergei Kostitsyn

59 Roman Josi - 6 Shea Weber
64 Victor Bartley - 8 Kevin Klein
22 Scott Hannan - 4 Ryan Ellis

35 Pekka Rinne
[30 Chris Mason]

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