Predators at Stars
After getting sideswiped by the league's worst team, the Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars attempt to bounce back against another struggling club when they host the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. The Stars, who had a five-game point streak (4-0-1) halted in a 6-3 loss at Columbus, have won seven of their last eight games at home.
After surrendering a combined seven goals in its previous five contests, Dallas nearly matched that total against the Blue Jackets. "It was everything about our team defense," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "It was probably our worst on the year. ... Everyone was in on it." Nashville rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period before dropping a 4-3 overtime decision at St. Louis on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game road trip. It also kicked off a brutal stretch in which the Predators play 11 of their next 14 games away from home.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (18-12-7): Nashville continues to make a habit out of losing close decisions - the Predators have lost all six overtime games and are 3-3-2 in their last eight contests, with each of the losses have coming by one goal. Goaltender Pekka Rinne has struggled with consistency but he was outstanding against the league's highest-scoring team last season, permitting nine goals while going 3-0-1 against the Stars. "Playing real, real well," Nashville center Mike Fisher said of Dallas. "Great offensively. We're in for a great game. We've got to be solid and be ready to play."
ABOUT THE STARS (27-8-3): Dallas captain Jamie Benn, the league's reigning scoring champion with 87 points, has three goals and six assists during a six-game point streak and is ahead of last season's pace with 50 points in 38 contests. The Stars will be without forward Ales Hemsky, who suffered a lower-body injury while blocking a shot in Tuesday's game and placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Goaltender Kari Lehtonen, who was yanked after one period two nights after registering his first shutout of the season, is 8-8-1 with a 2.41 goals-against average versus the Predators.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas is one of two teams (Washington) that has not lost consecutive games.
2. Predators F James Neal has four goals in his past five games.
3. Stars F Patrick Sharp has four goals and five assists during a six-game point streak.