Coyotes at Stars
The Arizona Coyotes have two objectives when they visit the Dallas Stars on Tuesday for the opener of a home-and-home series -- record their first victory of the season and break a streak that has seen them score only two goals in three consecutive games. Arizona has earned only one point over its first five contests, netting fewer than three tallies each time out after dropping a 5-4 decision at Anaheim in its season opener.
Rookie Clayton Keller, a 19-year-old center who was selected seventh overall in the 2016 draft, has recorded a team-high three goals but was kept off the scoresheet Saturday as the Coyotes were trounced 6-2 at home by Boston. Dallas has won two straight at home after being edged 2-1 by Vegas in the season opener at American Airlines Center. Tyler Seguin and captain Jamie Benn each registered a goal and an assist Saturday as the Stars posted a 3-1 victory over visiting Colorado. Both players doubled their point total for the season, climbing within one of defenseman John Klingberg (five) for the team lead.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (0-4-1): Mario Kempe, who is in his first season in the NHL, was credited with his first goal Saturday after it originally was given to Anthony Duclair but wasn't all that thrilled. "Honestly, I didn't even know it hit me first," the 29-year-old Swedish right wing told reporters. "That's what they said on the replay, that it hit my stick. I don't really care. That's a personal milestone. For me, I just want to get a win right now." Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored his 41st career power-play goal in the loss to Boston to overtake Fredrik Olausson for first place on the franchise list among defensemen.
ABOUT THE STARS (2-3-0): Saturday's victory was the 783rd of Ken Hitchcock's coaching career, moving him ahead of Al Arbour for third place on the all-time list. Hitchcock, who also has been behind the bench for St. Louis (248), Philadelphia (131) and Columbus (125), has earned the majority of his wins (279) with the Stars. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis returned to the lineup against Colorado after missing two games with a groin injury and logged 19 minutes, 16 seconds of ice time.
OVERTIME
1. Each of Seguin's team-leading three goals have come on the power play, with Saturday's serving as the game-winner.
2. Ekman-Larsson's next game will be the 500th of his NHL career.
3. Dallas has scored a power-play goal in each of its five contests and was seventh in the league entering Monday with a 27.8 percent success rate.