STARS-MAPLE LEAFS GAME PREVIEW (2:45 PM CST)
Having collected at least one point in 10 of their last 13 games, the Dallas Stars (13-9-4) are in Canada tonight to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs (14-11-3) at the Air Canada Centre. Game time is 6:00 p.m. CST. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the first of two meetings between the inter-Conference teams this season. The clubs did not play each other last year due to the revised intra-Conference only schedule created for the lockout-shortened 48-game season.
The Stars enter this game coming off an upset 4-3 win in Chicago. The Stars received an outstanding goaltending performance from Kari Lehtonen but were unable to hold a 3-0 lead in the second period. In the final stanza, Antoine Roussel won the game on a penalty shot goal. Dallas is 2-0-2 in its last four games.
The Maple Leafs have been going in the opposite direction of late. Toronto brings a five-game winless streak into tonight (0-3-2) and is just 4-7-3 since getting off to a hot start (10-4-0) in October to early November.
The Leafs enter this game coming off a 4-2 home loss to San Jose that was pretty much the reverse of the Stars-Blackhawks result. Toronto trailed 2-0, and then rallied in the second period to tie the game. Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle then put his team ahead to stay.
Both teams bring some significant injuries into this game. On the Dallas side, Tyler Seguin (concussion symptoms) has made the trip and is listed as questionable for tonight after missing the last two games. Top pairing defenseman Stephane Robidas is sidelined for the rest of the season with a broken right leg. On the Toronto side, Joffrey Lupul (groin) and Dave Bolland (ankle) are out, while Phil Kessel's availability is questionable.
After tonight's game, the Stars return home to Dallas. They will take on the Philadelphia Flyers in a Saturday matinee game at the American Airlines Center.
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