GAME PREVIEW (11:55 AM CST)
Sporting an 8-2-2 record over their last 12 games, the Dallas Stars (11-7-2) will look to continue their winning ways when the New York Rangers (10-11-0) pay a visit to the American Airlines Center on Thursday night. Game time is at 7:30 p.m. CST. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the first of two meetings between the inter-conference teams this season. They will square off at MSG on January 10.
After tonight's game, the Stars head to St. Louis for a Saturday showdown with the Blues, who are currently seven points ahead of them in the Central Division standings.
STARS OUTLOOK
The Stars have had three nights off since completing a three-game western Canada road trip sweep with a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. The outstanding goaltending of Kari Lehtonen (42 saves) was the big story of the game. Meanwhile, rookie Valeri Nichushkin notched the second goal of his NHL career and Erik Cole ended his scoring slump with just his second goal of the season.
Dallas has won six games in a row on the road and will now look to pick up their home record with five of the next six games taking place at the AAC.
The Stars' top line has been on a tear as of late. Center Tyler Seguin (12 goals, 23 points in 20 games) has a four-game point streak going, with six goals and two assists in that span. Team captain Jamie Benn (seven goals, 23 points in 20 games) has points in four of the last five games, with two goals and seven helpers over that span. Nichushkin has a goal and three points over the last two matches.
Two-thirds of the Stars' second line is questionable for tonight's game, and will officially be game-time decisions. Alex Chiasson was hit in the face with a puck at practice yesterday. Veteran Ray Whitney has missed the last three games with a groin pull. Whitney has practiced with the club each of the last two days but it is not a certainty yet that he is ready to play.
The Stars made a couple roster moves since their last game. Fourth-line forward Lane MacDermid was played on waivers for purposes of assigning him to the AHL's Texas Stars. The club also recalled little-used defenseman Kevin Connauton from an AHL conditioning assignment.
RANGERS OUTLOOK
The Rangers welcomed Rick Nash back to the lineup on Tuesday after the team's most dangerous offensive player missed 17 games with a concussion. The Blueshirts lost the game to the visiting Boston Bruins by a 2-1 score despite holding a 44-22 shot advantage.
While New York has largely righted its ship after struggling on a massive season-opening road trip during the renovation of Madison Square Garden, the club has run into even-strength scoring difficulties of late. The club has not tallied a 5-on-5 goal in any of its last three tilts.
After playing nine of the last 12 games at home, the Rangers now embark on a five-game road trip. The club has been racked with injuries for much of the early going of the season but, with Nash's return, Tyler Pyatt (concussion) is their only reported injury.
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