Sharks at Stars
The Dallas Stars have lost their momentum after a strong start and are looking to snap out of their malaise on home ice when the San Jose Sharks visit Saturday. Dallas is winless in six games (0-4-2) after gaining a point in six of the first seven (4-1-2) and has won just once in seven contests (1-2-4) at home following a 3-2 defeat against Nashville on Thursday. The Sharks, who saw their four-game point streak (3-0-1) end with a 3-2 loss to Vancouver on Thursday, begin a seven-game road trip.
The Stars netted five goals combined in their last four games and leading scorer Tyler Seguin has managed one assist in that span. “We played better, and got the same result,” Dallas coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after Thursday’s loss. “When you’re going like this, there’s a feeling that something bad is going to happen.” San Jose is among the top third of the league in scoring and allowed 12 goals over the last six contests.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (7-5-2): Joe Thornton’s shot trickled over the goal line just after the final buzzer Thursday after San Jose outshot the Canucks 36-19. The Sharks head out on the road with confidence after going 5-2-2 away from home in October and seeing the return of right wing Tyler Kennedy from an upper-body injury Thursday. Logan Couture, defenseman Brent Burns and Patrick Marleau lead a balanced offense with 13 points apiece and Antti Niemi boasts a .930 save percentage the last five games.
ABOUT THE STARS (4-5-4): Seguin and captain Jamie Benn (zero points in the last four games) are likely to warm up soon, but the Stars will need more secondary scoring to break out of their slump. Offensive defenseman Sergei Gonchar should help after returning from injured reserve two games ago, but Dallas could be without forwards Cody Eakin and Valeri Nichushkin Saturday due to injuries. Skillful forward Ales Hemsky (one assist, 13 games) is struggling while defenseman Trevor Daley has already recorded five goals.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas C Jason Spezza, acquired from Ottawa in the offseason, has registered 699 points in 699 career games.
2. Thornton has 1,205 career points and needs one to pass former Sharks F Vincent Damphousse for 44th on the NHL’s all-time list.
3. San Jose is 5-of-15 on the power play the last five games and Dallas has not converted in 15 tries with the man-advantage over the last four.