Kings at Stars
A six-game winning streak is a distant memory for the Los Angeles Kings, who try to salvage the finale of a five-game road trip when they visit the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The reigning Stanley Cup champions have managed only one point in the first four games of their trek while surrendering the opening goal in each setback. “We need to get back to getting a strong start, getting a lead instead of falling behind early,” Kings center Trevor Lewis said following Sunday's 3-2 loss at Carolina.
The Stars are mired in a tailspin of their own, stretching their winless drought to four games following losses to Anaheim at home on Friday and in Minnesota the following night. Playing at home has not provided much solace for Dallas, which has dropped four of five at American Airlines Center - with all four defeats occurring after regulation. "There's energy missing in our game. It's as simple as that," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "The energy level of our team isn't good enough to win games."
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE KINGS (6-4-2): Tanner Pearson, who leads Los Angeles with seven goals and plays alongside Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli on "That '70s Line" that produced 18 of the team's first 25 goals, was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for October. However, it bears noting that the 2012 first-round draft pick has failed to hit the scoresheet during the four-game skid, a span in which the Kings have gone 1-for-11 with the man advantage while permitting five power-play tallies. Center Anze Kopitar returned to the lineup Sunday after sitting out three games, as did Marian Gaborik, who was sidelined for three weeks.
ABOUT THE STARS (4-3-4): Dallas also is hoping for reinforcements, with defenseman Sergei Gonchar close to making his season debut and forward Valeri Nichushkin nearing a return after suffering a groin injury in the second game of the season. Stars leading scorer Tyler Seguin, named the league's Third Star of the Month of October after registering seven goals and 15 points in 10 games, is expected to play despite missing practice Monday - a day after having his wisdom teeth removed. Ales Hemsky, who left Saturday's game with an upper-body injury and has notched only one point in 11 games, returned to practice Monday.
OVERTIME
1. Kings G Jonathan Quick is 15-6-2 with a 2.38 goals-against average versus Dallas.
2. Seguin has recorded three goals and four assists in seven games against Los Angeles.
3. Kings C Jordan Nolan will finish serving his two-game suspension for a boarding Detroit's Darren Helm on Friday.