STARS VS. MAPLE LEAFS ABBREVIATED GAME PREVIEW
Looking for their second straight win in a five-game homestand and eager to improve upon their 2-8-1 record to date, the Dallas Stars (22-20-8) will play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs (27-20-5) tonight. Game time at the American Airlines Center is 7:00 p.m. CST. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the second and final meeting of the season between the teams, and the lone game in Dallas. On Dec. 5, the Maple Leafs captured a 3-2 overtime win over the Stars on a Trevor Smith goal in the final minute of the extra frame. The Leafs took a 1-0 lead into the third period, only for Erik Cole to tie the game before Nazem Kadri's second goal of the game restored a one-goal lead. With 2:46 left in regulation, Shawn Horcoff scored a power play goal to send the game to OT and secure a point for the Stars.
Dallas enters this game coming off a convincing 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. The Stars dominated pretty much the entire match, especially in the first and second periods.
In the meantime, Toronto has been on a roll of late. The Leafs enter this game riding a six-game winning streak. On Tuesday, the Leafs went into Denver and skated off with a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, jumping out to an insurmountable lead by the early portion of the middle period despite playing the second half a back-to-back set on the road. Tonight's game is the third game of the Leafs' current four-game road trip.
On the injury front, Stephane Robidas (fractured tibia) remains shelved for the Stars. For Toronto, forwards Dave Bolland (ankle), David Clarkson (elbow), Frazer McLaren (shoulder) and C Trevor Smith (hand) are all unavailable.