STARS VS. FLAMES PREVIEW
Looking to further strengthen their hold on a playoff spot, the Dallas Stars (32-23-10) play host to the Calgary Flames (26-33-7) on Friday night. Game time at the American Airlines Center is 7:30 p.m. Central. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the third and final meeting between the teams this season. The Stars won each of the first two games in routs, downing the Flames 5-1 at the AAC on Oct. 24 and then winning by a football-like 7-3 score in Calgary on Nov. 15.
The Stars have been playing very good hockey of late, even with the emotional distress of Rich Peverley's heart-condition related collapse on the bench in a home game against Columbus and injuries to both Kari Lehtonen (concussion, could return over weekend) and Cody Eakin (lower body, doubtful for tonight). Dallas enters this game with an 11-3-2 mark over their last 16 games.
The Stars are coming off a 3-2 overtime win in St. Louis on Thursday, one night after the horrifying scare with Peverley, who will miss the rest of the season. Team captain Jamie Benn netted the game winner.
The Stars recalled forwards Travis Morin and Chris Mueller from the AHL's Texas Stars. Both will be available to play tonight.
Tonight's match is very much a potential trap game for the Stars. The Flames will not make the playoffs but have played their best hockey of the season on either end of the Olympic break, posting a 10-6-0 mark over the last 16 games. A big part of the reason is that the Flames have tightened things up defensively, holding opponents to a 2.08 GAA over their last 13 matches.
The powerhouse Anaheim Ducks perhaps took the Flames too lightly heading into Wednesday's game and got smacked down with a 7-2 humiliation. Mikael Backlund led the way with a three-point night (two goals and one assist).
On the Calgary injury front, Markus Granlund (upper body) and Jiri Hudler (upper body) are questionable, while Matt Stajan is day-to-day. Goalie Kari Ramo, defenseman Dennis Wideman and forward David Jones are all out.
After tonight's game, the Stars return to action on Sunday. They will travel to Winnipeg to take on the Jets.