Looking to return to their winning ways after their second loss of the month to Toronto, Lindy Ruff's Dallas Stars (12-4-0) will play host to Paul Maurice's Winnipeg Jets (8-6-2) on Thursday night. Game time at the American Airlines Center is 7:30 p.m. CT.
This is the first of five meetings between the teams this season, and the first of three in Dallas. The clubs will rematch on Jan. 7 (Dallas), Feb. 2 (Winnipeg), Feb. 23 (Winnipeg) and Feb. 25 (Dallas).
Kari Lehtonen will get the nod in goal for Dallas. The Stars are also expected to start Jamie Oleksiak on defense in place of Jyrki Jokipakka. Ondrej Pavelec will start for the Jets.
Projected lines per NHL.com:
STARS
Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Patrick Sharp Mattias Janmark - Cody Eakin - Jason Spezza Ales Hemsky - Vernon Fiddler - Colton Sceviour Antoine Roussel - Radek Faksa - Valeri Nichushkin
Alex Goligoski - John Klingberg Johnny Oduya - Jason Demers Jamie Oleksiak - Jordie Benn
Kari Lehtonen [Antti Niemi]
JETS
Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler Mathieu Perreault - Mark Scheifele - Nikolaj Ehlers Chris Thorburn - Adam Lowry - Drew Stafford Alexander Burmistrov - Andrew Copp - Nic Petan
Tobias Enström - Dustin Byfuglien Tyler Myers - Ben Chiarot Jacob Trouba - Mark Stuart
Ondrej Pavelec [Michael Hutchinson]