PREVIEW: STARS @ PENGUINS
Wrapping up a four-game road trip and seeking their fifth straight victory, Lindy Ruff's Dallas Stars (5-1-0) are in western Pennsylvania to take on Mike Johnston's Pittsburgh Penguins (3-3-0). Game time at the Consol Energy Center is 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.
Although just the seventh game of the year for both teams, this game will wrap up the two-game season series between the inter-Conference clubs. On opening night in Dallas, the Stars shut out the Penguins, 3-0. An early first period goal by Mattias Janmark, followed by a second period Ales Hemsky power play tally and a third period Jamie Benn power play goal provided the goal support for Antti Niemi in a 37-save performance.
After Thursday's game, the Stars return home to face the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Pittsburgh is on the road to take on the Nashville Predators that night.
Stars Outlook
Dallas has won by different methods throughout the road trip, including a rally from a two-goal deficit in Florida. On Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Dallas put forth a strong 60-minute effort in a 2-1 win over the Flyers.
Niemi was outstanding in net, taking first-star honors in a 34-save outing after Kari Lehtonen started (and won) each of the three previous games. Niemi's performance included 11 saves with Dallas on the penalty kill, including several of the difficult variety. Having shut out the Penguins on opening night, Niemi will return to the crease for the return match.
The Stars' top line has been on fire of late. In Philadelphia, a late first-period tally by Tyler Seguin and an early second-period goal by Jamie Benn were the only pucks to get past Philadelphia's Steve Mason but put Dallas in control of the game. Seguin has five goals and eight points in the last three games while Dallas captain Benn has four goals and seven points in that span.
Through the start of Wednesday night's four-game NHL docket, the Stars ranked third in the league in power play effiency (6-for-20, 30 percent) and ninth on the penalty kill (13-for-15, 86.7 percent).
On the injury front, forwards Travis Moen (upper body), Curtis McKenzie (lower body) and Patrick Eaves (lower body) all remain out of the lineup. Young defensemen Patrik Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak have been healthy scratches for all six games to date but, with the team on a winning streak, it is hard to justify making any changes to the lineup.
Penguins outlook
The Penguins have won three in a row after dropping each of their first three games. Pittsburgh's vaunted offensive firepower mostly shot blanks over the course of the losses but Sidney Crosby and company seem to be getting on the right track now after gettting outscored, 8-3, over their first three games. In the last three, the Pens have a 7-3 combined scoring edge.
On Tuesday night, the Penguins captured a 3-2 overtime win against the Panthers after being unable to protect a 2-0 lead in the third period. Evgeni Malkin netted the winning goal at 1:21 of OT. Crosby scored his first of the season back in the first period, while Phil Kessel tallied his second as a Penguin to forge a temporary 2-0 lead early in the third period. Crosby finished with a three-point game.
Workhorse starter Marc-Andre Fleury has played every minute of the team's six games to date and has a 1.83 goals against average, .937 save percentage and one shutout to date. On Tuesday, Fleury stopped 31 of 33 shots by Florida.
Entering Wednesday's NHL games, the Penguins ranked 26th on the power play (2-for-20, 10 percent) and 12th on the penalty kill (17-for-20, 85 percent).
On the injury front, forward Beau Bennett (undisclosed) remains unavailable to the team. Rookie forward Daniel Sprong (work visa issue) could be available as could Eric Fehr (elbow). Kevin Porter (undisclosed injury on Tuesday, did not practice on Wednesday) and is questionable for the game against the Stars. Veteran Pascal Dupuis could return the lineup after missing the first six games.
Projected Lineups (subject to change)
STARS
14 Jamie Benn - 91 Tyler Seguin - 10 Patrick Sharp 13 Mattias Janmark - 90 Jason Spezza - 43 Valeri Nichushkin 21 Antoine Roussel - 20 Cody Eakin - 83 Ales Hemsky 38 Vernon Fiddler - 12 Radek Faksa - 22 Colton Sceviour
33 Alex Goligoski - 3 John Klingberg 47 Johnny Oduya - 4 Jason Demers 2 Jyrki Jokipakka - 24 Jordie Benn 15 Patrik Nemeth - 5 Jamie Oleksiak
31 Antti Niemi [32 Kari Lehtonen]
Scratches: Travis Moen (day-to-day, upper body), Patrik Nemeth (healthy), Jamie Oleksiak (healthy), Patrick Eaves (IR, lower body), Curtis McKenzie (IR, lower body), Brett Ritchie (IR, wrist surgery).
Penguins
14 Chris Kunitz - 87 Sidney Crosby - 81 Phil Kessel 57 David Perron - 71 Evgeni Malkin - 72 Patric Hörnqvist 36 Bryan Rust - 13 Nick Bonino - 61 Sergei Plotnikov 9 Pascal Dupuis - 7 Matt Cullen - 41 Daniel Sprong
28 Ian Cole - 58 Kris Letang 12 Ben Lovejoy - 3 Olli Mà¤à¤ttठ8 Brian Dumoulin - 4 Rob Scuderi
29 Marc-Andre Fleury [37 Jeff Zatkoff]