Coyotes at Stars
The Dallas Stars attempt to snap a four-game winless streak when they host the Pacific Division-rival Phoenix Coyotes in the opener of a home-and-home series on Friday. Since edging the Red Wings 2-1 on the road on Jan. 22, Dallas has dropped an overtime decision to Chicago and suffered regulation losses to St. Louis, Columbus and Detroit. The Stars have scored just one goal in each of their last two contests and their 13 tallies is the third-lowest total in the league.
Phoenix is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers at home on Wednesday. The Coyotes were fortunate to earn a point as Nick Johnson scored a power-play goal with 19 seconds remaining in the third period to forge a tie. Chad Johnson suffered the loss two days after blanking the Nashville Predators for his first shutout in five career starts.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Plus Arizona (Phoenix), FSN Plus Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (2-4-1): Chad Johnson is likely to find himself on the bench or back in the American Hockey League as Mike Smith is expected to start against his former team on Friday. Smith left a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 23 after just 11 minutes with a lower-body injury and sat out the following four contests. "It's gotten a lot better over the last few days, so I'm excited to get back in the lineup," Smith said. "I'm ready." Left wing Steve Sullivan missed Wednesday's contest with a lower-body injury and is questionable against Dallas.
ABOUT THE STARS (2-4-1): Dallas edged Phoenix 4-3 at home in the season opener for both teams as Loui Eriksson snapped a tie late in the third period. Jaromir Jagr was a force in his debut with the Stars, scoring two goals and setting up two others. Center Jamie Benn has recorded one assist and eight penalty minutes in two games since signing a five-year contract. Two players could make their NHL debuts Friday as defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and left wing Antoine Roussel were recalled from Texas of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. "I think it's a good time to take a look at both kids," general manager Joe Nieuwendyk said. "It gives us a little bit of a different look." Oleksiak was drafted 14th overall in 2011.
OVERTIME
1. Only Los Angeles and Nashville (12 apiece) have scored fewer goals than Dallas.
2. The Coyotes host the Stars on Saturday in the finale of the home-and-home series, which also kicks off a three-game homestand.
3. Six of the last 10 meetings between the teams have been decided after regulation. Two of the other four encounters were one-goal decisions.
PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Stars 2.