Stars at Blue Jackets
The Dallas Stars owned the best record in the Western Conference last season thanks to a high-powered offense that led the league in scoring. Goals have been hard to come by this season for the Stars, who have a chance to avenge one of their two shutout losses when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
Dallas was blanked for the second time in four contests -- a span in which it has scored four goals -- in a 4-0 setback at Minnesota on Saturday night. "It's obviously not the greatest time around here, but we've got to keep working hard. We can't get frustrated," Stars captain Jamie Benn said. "We've got to stick together and work our way out of this." The Blue Jackets went 2-1-1 on a rugged four-goal road trip, shutting out Dallas in the opener and culminating it with a 4-0 victory at Anaheim. "I thought we built as we went along," said forward Sam Gagner, who scored his first two goals of the season versus the Ducks. "Good feeling for us and we got to keep pushing forward."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE STARS (3-4-1): Forwards Jason Spezza and Jiri Hudler returned to the lineup Saturday, but Dallas received some sobering news two days later when it was learned that forward Ales Hemsky underwent hip surgery and be sidelined five to six months. With forwards Patrick Sharp, Cody Eakin and Mattias Janmark already sidelined, coach Lindy Ruff wants his offense to forget style points. "We are still looking for pretty when pretty isn't there," Ruff said. "We have to get more people going to the net."
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (3-3-1): Sergei Bobrovsky has registered a pair of shutouts in his last four starts, including a 32-save effort at Dallas on Oct. 22 that lifted his career record versus the Stars to 8-1-1 with a 1.78 goals-against average. Bruising forward Josh Anderson was moved up to the third line in Anaheim and is receiving plaudits for his physical approach. “Not that it has to be a fight, but the energy he brings with his physical play," captain Nick Foligno said. "He’s such a big body."
OVERTIME
1. Dallas, which is below .500 for the first time since December 2014, is 3-7-0 in its last 10 at Columbus.
2. Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, who had three assists Friday, has 14 points in 14 games against Dallas - but zero goals.
3. The Stars have allowed four power-play goals in 13 chances over the past three games.