WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL GAME 5: STARS @ DUCKS
In a deadlocked series that has become a best-of-three, the Dallas Stars need a road win over the Anaheim Ducks to take a three games to two lead before the scene shifts back to the American Airlines Center for Game Six. Game time tonight is 9:30 p.m. CDT. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest, nationally in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network and across Canada on TSN.
After near-miss rallies from multi-goal deficits in Games One and Two, the Stars shut out the Ducks, 3-0, in Dallas and then rallied from a 2-0 deficit in Game Four to score four unanswered goals and skate off with a 4-2 win. Goals by Jamie Benn, Vernon Fiddler, Cody Eakin and Alex Goligoski led the way as the Stars knotted the series at two games apiece.
The Stars may have physical shutdown defenseman Brenden Dillon (lower body injury) available for the first time in series. He is officially a game-time decision but seems more likely than not to play. Additionally, shot-blocking defenseman Patrik Nemeth (upper body) may not be ready to play tonight after leaving Game 4 early and taking a maintenance day yesterday. Goligoski logged a monstrous 32:48 of ice time in Game 4.
For the Ducks, top line center Ryan Getzlaf remains day-to-day but will play if at possible tonight. Matt Beleskey (lower body) remains out for the fourth straight game but could return for Game Six. Future Hall of Famer Teemu Selà¤nne was a somewhat surprising healthy scratch in Game Four. He may or may not be re-inserted in the lineup tonight by Bruce Boudreau.
Boudreau has not committed to a starting goaltender for tonight. Frederik Andersen was stellar in Games One and Two but not nearly as effective in the two games in Dallas. He let in a stoppable goal to Fiddler that tied Game Four and was pulled in favor of erstwhile starter Jonas Hiller after the Stars built a 4-2 lead in the third period.
Game Four was a physical affair that got increasingly nasty and chippy as the game progressed. Former Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry, as he is sometimes prone to doing, lost control of his emotions and would up taking himself out of the game with his team down two goals in the third period. Stars agitator Antoine Roussel got under Perry's skin and even got the better of a fight. There was also a series of 10-minute misconducts handed out to both sides late in the game.
The winner of Game Five will have an opportunity to close out the series in Dallas on Sunday. The Stars have become a very formidable foe on home ice but still need a win in Anaheim to be in position to pull off an upset in the series.