STARS VS. WILD ABBREVIATED GAME PREVIEW (6:30 AM, CST)
On the heels of losing seven of their last eight games in regulation, the Dallas Stars (21-19-7) are in St. Paul tonight to take on the Minnesota Wild (26-19-5). Game time is 8 p.m. CST. The match will be televised on TXA 21.
This is the second of four meetings this season between the Central Division teams, and the second of two in Minnesota.
On Oct. 12, the Stars came to the Xcel Energy Center fresh off a 4-1 victory in Winnipeg the previous night. The Wild scored just 12 seconds after the opening faceoff and went on to enjoy a 5-1 romp while outshooting the Stars by a 36-19 margin. Jordie Benn broke up Josh Harding's shutout bid with a third-period power play goal. Dan Ellis took the loss in net for the Stars.
The two teams will rematch in Dallas on Tuesday. It is not a true home-and-home for the Stars, however, because the club has a Monday night game in Nashville in between games with the Wild.
The Stars snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 home win against Edmonton on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Boston Bruins came to the American Airlines Center and downed the Stars by a 4-2 count.
Against Boston, Erik Cole tied the game at 1-1 with an early third-period power play goal but the Bruins went ahead for good just two minutes later. Boston built a two-goal lead over the course of the final stanza before Jamie Benn cut the deficit back to a single goal. Dallas could not find an equalizer and a Patrice Bergeron empty net goal with 16 seconds left in regulation sealed the game. Kari Lehtonen turned back 37 of 40 shots in a losing cause.
Turnovers, coverage breakdowns and opposition odd-man rushes have been a regrettable way of life for Dallas since the club reeled off a 5-0-2 mark in which the club did not yield more than two regulation goals in any game. Since that time, the Stars are 1-6-0 and have yield four or more in five games.
On the Dallas injury front, Stephane Robidas (fractured tibia) will miss the rest of the regular season. Aaron Rome (lower body) also remains sidelined.
Minnesota has been riddled with injuries and suffered through a miserable eastern road trip that contributed to a six-game losing streak at the end of December. Since the start of January, however, the club has played much better.
The Wild bring a 6-2-0 record this month into tonight's game. The club is coming off a 4-1 home win over Edmonton on Thursday. Jason Pominville, Nate Prosser, Justin Fontaine and Jason Zucker tallied for the Wild, while Darcy Kuemper made 20 saves.
Key forwards Zach Parise (foot) and Mikko Koivu (ankle) are on injured reserve. Goaltender Josh Harding (illness) only made two appearances after undergoing a scheduled adjustment of multiple sclerosis medication regimen and was placed back on IR shortly thereafter. Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (leg) also remains sidelined.