The Dallas Stars (2-1-0) play host to the unbeaten-in-regulation Anaheim Ducks (3-0-1) at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night. Game time is 7 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.

This is the first of three meetings between the teams this season, and the first of two in Big D. Last season, the Stars went 1-2-0 against Anaheim with the home team winning all three games in regulation.

Stars Outlook

The Stars, who are coming off their first loss of the season -- a 7-4 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday -- will wrap up their season-opening four-game homestand with this game against Anaheim.

The Stars' top line trio of Jamie Benn (three goals, three assists), Tyler Seguin (three goals, five assists) and Alexander Radulov (three goals, four assists) has been on fire to start the season. The line will stay together to start this game but Stars coach Jim Montgomery changed some of the other combinations at Friday's practice.

Valeri Nichuskin and Brett Ritchie will flank veteran center Jason Spezza on the second line. A healthy scratch in the Toronto game, Jason Dickinson, will return to the lineup on left wing along with Radek Faksa and Tyler Pitlick. The other line will consist of Devin Shore (shifting from left wing to center) along with Mattias Janmark and Blake Comeau. Roope Hintz and Gemel Smith are the likely healthy scratches up front.

A healthy scratch for the first three games, defenseman Julius Honka appears likely to dress for the Anaheim game, paired with Marc Methot. Esa Lindell with John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen (who recorded his first NHL point in the Toronto game) paired with Connor Carrick.

On special teams, Dallas comes in at 4-for-8 on the power play and 6-for-8 on the penalty kill.

Ducks Outlook

Anaheim sustained its first lost of the season on Wednesday in a home 3-2 shootout loss to the Arizona Coyotes but remains unbeaten in regulation. Ryan Kesler and Ben Street scored in regulation for the Ducks. John Gibson stopped 37 of 39 shots in regulation and overtime but it was only enough to grab one point for his team, as he stopped two of three (ex-Flyers forward Nick Cousins scored in the second round) in the skills competition by the Ducks were blanked on three tries by Antti Raanta (23 regulation/OT saves).

The Ducks have been winning despite being riddled with key injuries. The team was without captain Ryan Getzlaf (lower body, suspected groin pull) the last two games but his injury is not expected to be long-term, unless longtime linemate Corey Perry (knee surgery), who is expected to be out until after New Years. Kesler (hip) dressed for the first time this season in the Arizona game. However, Ondrej Kase (concussion) and Patrick Eaves (shoulder) remain out for the time being.

Jakob Silfverberg leads the team with five points (one goal, four assists) through four games, while Gibson has started all four games to date and brings a 1.44 GAA and .955 save percentage into Saturday's tilt.

The Ducks have started the season 11-for-12 on the penalty kill and 2-for-11 on the power play.

Join the Discussion: » 2 Comments » Post New Comment

» NHL Statement on Stars' COVID Situation

» SCF: Tampa wins Stanley Cup with 2-0 Shutout

» SCF: Stars Extend Series to a Game 6 w/ Double OT win

» SCF: Stars Have No Time to Lament What Could Have Been

» SCF: Uphill Climb Falls Short Again in Game 3