PREVIEW 7:30 AM CDT

In the fourth match of a five-game homestand, the Dallas Stars (16-14-3) will play host to the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings (19-12-3). Tonight's game starts at 5:00 p.m. CDT and will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

This is the third of five meetings between the teams this season, and the first in Dallas. The Stars have played two of their best games of the season in road wins in LA. On March 7, Dallas captured a 5-2 win. Two weeks later, Kari Lehtonen recorded a 40-save shutout and Jaromir Jagr broke a scoreless tie in the third period to lead the way to a 2-0 win.

The Stars are coming off a seesaw 5-3 win against Minnesota on Friday that helped keep Dallas in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. For the second straight game, the Stars forged a 2-0 lead only to see Minnesota come back. This time, however, it was the Stars who took over the game in the third period.

Los Angeles is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to Minnesota last night. The Kings held a 3-1 lead in the second period but were unable to protect it. Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter and Justin Williams scored for the Kings. Jonathan Quick stopped 25 of 28 shots in regulation and overtime but was beaten on all three Minnesota attempts in the shootout. For LA, Mike Richards converted his attempt after Williams missed.

On the Stars injury front, Vernon Fiddler (charley horse) is day-to-day after being forced to leave Friday's game early. The Stars have recalled veteran Toby Petersen from the AHL as a possible fill-in for the fourth line. Winger Ryan Garbutt (hand, IR) remains out of the lineup. For the Kings, defensemen Willie Mitchell (knee) and Matt Greene (back) are out.


PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)


STARS

24 Eric Nystrom - 14 Jamie Benn - 68 Jaromir Jagr
21 Loui Eriksson -11 Derek Roy - 13 Ray Whitney
72 Erik Cole - 20 Cody Eakin - 18 Reilly Smith
60 Antoine Roussel - 38 Vernon Fiddler/17 Toby Petersen - 81 Tomas Vincour

4 Brenden Dillon - 3 Stephane Robidas
33 Alex Goligoski - 6 Trevor Daley
27 Aaron Rome - 36 Philip Larsen

32 Kari Lehtonen
[31 Richard Bachman]


KINGS

23 Dustin Brown - 11 Anze Kopitar - 14 Justin Williams
10 Mike Richards - 77 Jeff Carter - 73 Tyler Toffoli
13 Kyle Clifford - 28 Jarret Stoll - 22 Trevor Lewis
74 Dwight King - 24 Colin Fraser - 71 Jordan Nolan

6 Jake Muzzin - 8 Drew Doughty
7 Rob Scuderi - 26 Slava Voynov
5 Keaton Ellerby - 27 Alec Martinez

45 Jonathan Bernier
[32 Jonathan Quick]

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