Stars at Lightning
Jason Spezza looks to follow up his sixth career hat trick with another strong performance on Thursday when his Dallas Stars begin a four-game road trip against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Spezza, who netted the tiebreaking goal late in the third period of Dallas' 4-2 victory over Edmonton on Tuesday, has collected 20 goals and 30 assists in 38 career meetings with Tampa Bay.
Captain Jamie Benn has recorded a point in each contest in 2015-16 on the heels of his Art Ross Trophy-winning performance. The 26-year-old tallied twice in the Stars' 5-2 win over Tampa Bay on April 5, 2014, marking his team's lone victory in the last six meetings with the Lightning. Tampa Bay, which won both encounters last season, tumbled to its first loss of 2015-16 with Tuesday's 3-1 setback to Detroit to conclude a stretch of three games in four nights. Ryan Callahan scored the lone goal to share the team lead in tallies (two) and points (four) after four games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), SUN (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE STARS (2-1-0): After recording 37 goals in each of his previous two seasons, Tyler Seguin has yet to find the back of the net after three games in 2015-16. The second overall pick of the 2010 draft, Seguin tallied twice in a 5-4 setback to Tampa Bay on March 7 and has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 14 career meetings with the Lightning. Antti Niemi sat out versus Edmonton, but is expected to return to face a Dallas team against which he is 5-1-1 with one career shutout.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (3-1-0): Tampa Bay has been unable to carry over its special teams success from last season, most notably its seventh-ranked penalty kill. In 2015-16, the Lightning have been zapped for five power-play goals on 12 opportunities - including the opening tally by Detroit's Gustav Nyquist on Tuesday. Tyler Johnson was held off the scoresheet versus the Red Wings, but scored twice in a 5-3 win over Dallas on Feb. 5. Workhorse goaltender Ben Bishop has stopped 95 of 103 shots while playing every minute this season.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas rookie C Mattias Janmark notched an assist on Tuesday to extend his point streak to three games (two goals, one assist).
2. Lightning D Victor Hedman, who has four assists this season, has scored two goals and set up seven others in six career meetings with the Stars.
3. Dallas recalled Curtis McKenzie from Texas of the American Hockey League to replace fellow forward Patrick Eaves (lower body), who was placed on injured reserve.