STARS @ DUCKS ABBREVIATED GAME PREVIEW
Coming off a 3-1-1 homestand, the Dallas Stars (24-21-9) begin a three-game road trip on Saturday night with a visit to what has become the NHL's most inhospitable place for visiting teams. The host Anaheim Ducks (40-11-5) pace the NHL in best home record (22-2-2) as well as the top overall record in the League.
Game time is 9 p.m. CST. The match will be televised locally on TXA 21.
This is the third and final meeting between the teams this season. The clubs have split the first two games, with each winning on its home ice.
On Oct. 20 in Anaheim, the Stars enjoyed an excellent first period en route to taking a 3-1 lead to the first intermission. Thereafter, the Ducks battered the Stars from pillar to post over the final 40 minutes and went on to score five unanswered goals en route to a 6-3 final that was more lopsided than the final score suggests. Thirty-four of Anaheim's 47 shots for the game came over the second and third periods.
On Nov. 26 at the American Airlines Center, the Stars trailed 1-0 at the first intermission before a pair of goals from Antoine Roussel and a tally by fellow energy line forward Ryan Garbutt sparked Dallas to a 6-3 win. Cody Eakin, Stephane Robidas and Alex Chiasson (empty netter) also tallied for Dallas.
Coming into tonight's tilt, the Stars have lost their two games.
On Thursday, Dallas trailed the New Jersey Devils by a 2-0 score in the third period. Midway through the final stanza, Jamie Benn's 21st goal of the season shaved the deficit in half. In the final minute of regulation, Tyler Seguin scored his 24th of the year to force overtime. In the extra frame, however, New Jersey's Patrik Elias won the game with a power play goal.
The Ducks have not brought their "A" game much of late, but are coming off a 5-3 home win over Philadelphia on Thursday. A late first period deflection goal by leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf and a mid-third period shorthanded goal by Daniel Winnik proved to be the difference in the game. Corey Perry and Saku Koivu (empty net) also scored for the Ducks.
On the Dallas injury front, top-pairing defenseman Robidas (fractured right leg) is sidelined for the season. For Anaheim, former Stars defenseman Sheldon Souray (wrist surgery) and goaltender Viktor Fasth (lower body) remain out of the lineup. Anaheim forward Nick Bonino (upper body) is officially day-to-day after being forced to leave the game against the Flyers as the result of a heavy open ice hit by Philadelphia right winger Zac Rinaldo.