Stars at Avalanche
The Dallas Stars are allowing goals at an alarming rate and their troubles on the road have the owners of last season's top mark in the Western Conference sinking in the Central Division in 2016-17. Winless in three straight overall and five in a row away from home, the Stars look to salvaged the finale of a four-game road trip on Saturday night when they visit the cellar-dwelling Colorado Avalanche.
"I think we all take pride in here. It's just not good enough," forward Tyler Seguin said after Thursday's 6-2 setback to Pittsburgh dropped Dallas to 3-7-4 on the road. "It's frustrating and we have to dig deeper, especially in those big moments and find ways to win hockey games." Colorado is digging itself into a comfortable space in the bottom of the Central after losing the first four contests (0-3-1) of its five-game homestand. Blake Comeau scored in Thursday's 3-2 setback to Columbus and had an assist in the Avalanche's 6-5 home triumph over the Stars on Oct. 15.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), Altitude (Colorado)
ABOUT THE STARS (9-10-6): After permitting nine goals in his last two outings, Antti Niemi looks to rebound versus a team against which he has posted a 9-3-3 mark. The 33-year-old Finn was shredded in his last encounter with Colorado on Oct. 15, however, allowing five goals on 20 shots in 27 minutes. While Dallas is yielding an NHL-worst 3.40 goals per game, its high-octane offense is mustering a pedestrian 2.5 per contest. Veteran Jason Spezza had an assist versus the Penguins for his fifth point in nine games, although the five-time 30 goal scorer hasn't tallied since Nov. 3 against St. Louis.
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (9-12-1): Nathan MacKinnon (team-leading 15 points) has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games but came alive in his previous two meetings with Dallas this season, scoring a goal and setting up another in both clashes. Semyon Varlamov returned from a week's absence due to an upper-body injury and turned in a solid 34-save performance against the Blue Jackets on Thursday. The 28-year-old Russian made just 19 saves in his last encounter with the Stars in a 3-2 loss on Nov. 17, but owns an impressive 12-4-2 career mark against the club.
OVERTIME
1. Seguin, who has 13 points in his last 14 games, has one goal and two assists in his last three contests.
2. Colorado has been prone to slow starts this season, as it has scored the opening goal in just six of 23 games.
3. Following Saturday's tilt, Dallas will play nine of its next 12 games at home.