Ducks vs. Stars Preview
DALLAS, TX – The Dallas Stars look to get back on track Tuesday night after their worst offensive performance of the season as they try to hand the Anaheim Ducks another Western Conference road loss.
Dallas (5-2-0) scored 22 goals in winning five of its first six games before a 1-0 loss to Nashville on Saturday. The Stars had 30 shots, but were unable to solve Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Stars –145 money line favorites for Tuesday’s game against the Ducks. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 53% of more than 86 bets for this game have been placed on the Stars -145.
“We put a lot of quality scoring chances on net but couldn’t find a way,” said left wing James Neal, who had a team-high five shots as his four-game goal streak ended. “I had a few good chances I’d like to have back.
“But that’s how it goes sometimes. It’s frustrating, but you’ve got to stay positive and do what you were doing before. You’ll get rewarded.”
Center Brad Richards has a team-high 10 points, but has been held without one in two straight games. Brenden Morrow has also gone consecutive games without a goal after scoring five times in the first five games.
Kari Lehtonen made 23 saves against Nashville, falling to 2-1-0 with a 1.02 goals-against average in three home starts.
“When you come out empty-handed at home, it’s always tough,” Lehtonen said. “We need to play the same way and work hard.”
The Stars went 4-1-1 against Anaheim (3-5-1) last season, winning all three home meetings with their Pacific Division rivals. Loui Eriksson had 10 points in the six games, Neal had seven and Richards six.
This season, the Ducks have lost all five of their road games against West foes heading into the finale of this four-game trip. They were outscored 16-3 in their first four road games against the West before blowing a 3-1 lead in Saturday’s 5-4 loss at Detroit.
Anaheim still got some positive signs as Teemu Selanne scored his 610th career goal and Bobby Ryan ended a four-game goal drought with his first on the road.
In an attempt to lift his team’s spirits near the end of this trip, coach Randy Carlyle conducted an hourlong practice Sunday including a 15-minute extra session for younger players.
“I think in situations when we’re not as sharp as we need, sometimes you have to get snapped to attention a little bit,” Carlyle told the Ducks’ official website.
“We just felt it was the best way to approach the day and preparing our team for Dallas,” the coach said.
Anaheim right wing Dan Sexton has been ruled out after he went down bleeding with 6:01 left in the first period Saturday, suffering a broken nose on a wrist shot by Detroit’s Ruslan Salei.
Defenseman Cam Fowler also has a broken nose from a collision with Phoenix’s Shane Doan in a 3-2 home win Oct. 17. He has missed the first three games of this road trip and remains day to day.
“He has to continue to show improvement,” Carlyle said of Fowler. “He’s kind of been in a flat period. We were thinking he would be available to us in the first game of the trip. We’re kind of surprised by it.”
Anaheim’s defense is in transition after the retirement of Scott Niedermayer and the departure of James Wisniewksi in the offseason.
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