Stars at Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings look to bounce back from a surprising home loss when they host the struggling Dallas Stars on Thursday. The Red Wings' bid for a season-high fifth consecutive victory was derailed in a 4-3 setback to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday - a performance that Detroit coach Mike Babcock termed "brutal." The Red Wings have found their stride on offense, scoring at least four goals in six of the past eight contests, fueled by a lethal power play that has converted 8-of-21 chances in the last five games.
Conversely, the Stars have been a sieve defensively during a three-game losing streak (0-2-1), surrendering five goals in each of the losses to plummet to the bottom of the league rankings with 3.52 tallies allowed per contest. Special teams are compounding the defensive woes, with Dallas scoring on the power play in only one of the last 10 games while facing 14 short-handed situations in the past two defeats. “We’ve got to get it in our heads that it’s got to go straight up the ice," captain Jamie Benn said. "It’s got to be direct. That’s the way we’re going to win hockey games.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE STARS (9-11-5): Starting netminder Kari Lehtonen has yielded at least four goals in five of his last seven starts to push his goals-against average to a career-worst 3.13, but he insisted the recent struggles haven't affected his confidence. "No, I’ve been playing in this league and I’ve had some bad stretches," Lehtonen said. "I can’t get worried." Team management may not be sharing the same sentiment as Lehtonen, placing backup goaltender Anders Lindback and his 0-5-0 record on waivers Wednesday and recalling Jussi Rynnas, who registered a 5-1-4 record and 2.58 GAA with Texas of the American Hockey League.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (14-6-5): Babcock was not alone in his assessment of Detroit's lackluster outing Tuesday, with captain Henrik Zetterberg and veteran Johan Franzen also criticizing the effort. “Maybe we thought we were going to win with putting one skate out there, but that’s not going to happen in this league,” Franzen said. “Every game is so important. We’re fighting for every point. It’s not good enough.” Two-way standout Pavel Datsyuk continues to shine since returning to the lineup following a four-game injury absence, collecting a goal and an assist Tuesday to give him five tallies and six points in four games.
OVERTIME
1. Datsyuk has been a nemesis for the Stars with 15 goals and 42 points in 38 games..
2. The Stars placed Patrick Eaves on injured reserve with a broken bone in his foot and recalled fellow F Curtis McKenzie from Texas.
3. The Red Wings have won seven of the past nine meetings (7-1-1) versus Dallas.