STARS-CANUCKS GAME PREVIEW (10:00 AM CST)
Looking to build off a win in their last game, the Dallas Stars (16-12-5) will play host to the powerful Vancouver Canucks (20-10-6) at the American Airlines Center. Game time is 7:30 p.m. CST. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the second of three meetings between the teams this season. The season series will conclude on March 6 in Dallas.
On Nov. 17, the Stars captured a 2-1 road victory in regulation. Valeri Nichushkin put the Stars ahead midway through the first period, and Dallas led the rest of the way despite being massively outshot and outchanced. Erik Cole added an insurance marker in the third period, which proved crucial. Henrik Sedin scored a power play goal shortly thereafter, spoiling a shutout bid for Kari Lehtonen (42 saves on 43 shots). Roberto Luongo made 21 saves for the Canucks.
The Stars enter this game coming off a 3-2 regulation win over Colorado on Tuesday, in which Dallas earned a split of a home-and-home set. Goals by Ray Whitney -- one at even strength and one on the power play -- erased 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. With just 2:52 left in regulation, recent callup Colton Sceviour scored the game winner. The goal was Sceviour's second in three games. Backup goaltender Dan Ellis got the start in the second game against the Avs, turning back 25 of 27 shots.
With the blueline riddled with injuries but rookie defenseman Jamie Oleksiak struggling mightily since his NHL recall, the Stars decided on Wednesday to return Oleksiak to the AHL's Texas Stars. The club converted Maxime Fortunus' AHL-only contract into a two-way contract and called the 30-year-old blueliner up to the big club.
Defensemen Stephane Robidas (fractured right leg), Trevor Daley (high ankle sprain) and Aaron Rome (lower boy) all remain on injured reserve for the Stars. Checking line center Vernon Fiddler (upper body) is listed as questionable.
The Canucks enter this game coming a disappointing 3-2 shootout loss in Minnesota on Tuesday; snapping a seven-game winning streak. Vancouver held a pair of one-goal leads but was unable to hang on to either one.
Special teams and strong goaltending have been crucial to Vancouver's still-current eight-game point streak. During the 7-0-1 stretch, the club has posted a stellar 1.25 goals against average. The penalty kill has gone 21-for-22 in that streched. Additionally, the Vancouver power play has connected on half of its six opportunities in the last three games.
Vancouver lost defenseman Ryan Stanton to an ankle injury in the second period of the Minnesota game. He did not make the trip to Dallas, and flew back instead to Vancouver for further evaluation.
Apart from Stanton, defenseman Alexander Edler (lower body) and forwards Alex Burrows (jaw) and Jordan Schroeder (ankle) are unavailable for the Canucks.
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