STARS VS. DEVILS ABBREVIATED GAME PREVIEW
Concluding a five-game homestand, the Dallas Stars (24-21-8) play host to the New Jersey Devils (22-21-11) at the American Airlines Center on Thursday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m. CST. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the second and final meeting between the teams this season, and the lone game in Dallas. On Jan. 9, the Stars were downed 1-0 by the Devils in Newark. Former Stars forward Michael Ryder scored the game's only goal. Despite the slim margin of New Jersey's victory, the Devils had the better of play most of the game. Kari Lehtonen (33 saves) was stellar in net in a losing cause. Cory Schneider recorded a 26-save shutout for New Jersey.
The Stars are 3-1-0 on the homestand. The team had its three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday by Colorado, as the Avalanche skated off with a 4-3 regulation win. Tyler Seguin scored a pair of goals in the game, and also assisted on Jamie Benn's 20th goal of the season.
After thrashing St. Louis by a 7-1 count last week, the Devils have dropped three of their last five games and the last two in a row. New Jersey enters this game coming off a 3-0 blanking in their return game with the Blues; this time in St. Louis.
On the Dallas injury front. Stephane Robidas (fractured right leg) is out for the season. For New Jersey, defenseman Peter Harrold (foot) is the only reported significant injury.
After tonight's game, the Stars will begin a difficult stretch of games that will carry the club into the Olympic break. It will start on Saturday, as the team takes to the road to take on the powerhouse Anaheim Ducks.