Stars Finish Preseason 5-0-2

While preseason wins and losses are meaningless once the puck drops on the regular season, it is always preferable to finish the exhibition slate feeling like a team is well-prepared to start the season. That's where Lindy Ruff and the Dallas Stars are right now.

The team finished the preseason with a 5-0-2 mark. More importantly, they got better and better as training camp and the exhibition schedule progressed.

Playing the "A" squad lineup against Colorado on Thursday, the Stars churned out a strong two-way effort en route to a 5-1 win. Last night, playing a lineup primarily comprised of NHL role players and players bound for the AHL's Texas Stars, the club shut out the Edmonton Oilers, 4-0.

Edmonton's lineup contained many of the regular starters who will appear on opening night. The Oilers played like a team that just wanted to get the game over with, preferably with no injuries. The Stars, meanwhile, were using players who still want to make an impression (in order to get increased ice time or move up the ladder as potential callups). In a last-game-of- the-preseason environment, the disparity of "NHL names" in the respective lineups may have actually worked in Dallas' favor.

In last night's tilt in Oklahoma City, Austin Smith, Luke Gazdic, Vernon Fiddler and Brett Ritchie tallied for the Stars. Dan Ellis stopped all 20 shots fired his way.


The Dallas lineup for the preseason finale:

Lane MacDermid - Cody Eakin - Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel -Chris Mueller - Colton Sceviour
Ryan Garbutt - Vernon Fiddler - Brett Ritchie
Luke Gazdic- Travis Morin- Austin Smith

Brenden Dillon - Jamie Oleksiak
Kevin Connauton - Maxime Fortunus
Patrik Nemeth - Jyrki Jokipakka

Dan Ellis
[Cristopher Nilstorp]


The regular season gets underway next Thursday when the Stars host the Florida Panthers at the American Airlines Center. Game time is 7 p.m. CDT.

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