MINI-PREVIEW: STARS @ PREDATORS

Coming off a game that was a fresh reminder that it is hard for even the most high-powered offenses to score enough overcome too-frequent defensive lapses, Lindy Ruff's Dallas Stars (1-1-0) face a good early season test on the road on Tuesday as they take on Peter Laviolette's Nashville Predators (1-1-0). Game time at Bridgestone Arena is 7 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.

The Stars are coming off a 6-5 loss to Colorado on Saturday that saw Dallas open a 2-0 lead early and then yield five straight goals (ending starting goalie Antti Niemi's night early) before pushing back. The Dallas breakdowns were both errors of commission and omission, with a couple of bad line changes, failure to box out around the net, lost coverages and correspondingly spotty goaltending being particularly glaring.

Devin Shore, who scored one goal and assisted on another in Denver, will remain on the second line, according to Stars Inside Edge. He will center the second line with Patrick Sharp and Brett Ritchie. Jiri Hudler (illness) is doubtful for Tuesday's game, while Ales Hemsky remains out.

Ruff indicated on Saturday that he plans to continue rotating personnel among the eight defensemen the team is carrying on the roster until pairings eventually settle in. Two players whose lineup spots are safe -- John Klingberg and Dan Hamhuis -- currently comprise the top pairing.

The Predators opened the season by splitting a home-and-home set with the Chicago Blackhawks. On Saturday in Chicago, the Predators dropped a 5-3 decision. Number one goalie Pekka Rinne, rested in the return match, will return to the net to start against the Stars on Monday. It seems likely that Kari Lehtonen, who relieved Niemi in the second period of Saturday's game, will get his first start of the 2016-17 season.


Potential Stars lineup (per Stars Inside Edge)

Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Patrick Eaves
Patrick Sharp - Devin Shore - Brett Ritchie
Antoine Roussel - Radek Faksa - Jason Spezza
Lauri Korpikoski - Adam Cracknell - Curtis McKenzie

Dan Hamhuis - John Klingberg
Johnny Oduya - Stephen Johns
Patrik Nemeth - Jordie Benn

Kari Lehtonen / Antti Niemi


Potential scratches: Esa Lindell (healthy), Jamie Oleksiak (healthy), Jiri Hudler (illness).
Out: Ales Hemsky, Mattias Janmark, Cody Eakin.

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