Senators at Stars
The Dallas Stars are among the more puzzling teams in the NHL this season and their latest victory is testament to that notion. Fresh off ending the NHL-leading Washington Capitals' 15-game home winning streak, the Stars look to remain in striking distance of the final playoff spot when they host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.
Dallas, which earned the top seed in the Western Conference with 109 points last season, is 5-0-2 in the last seven games and is seeking a season high-tying third consecutive victory. "We've got to take it one game at a time and just chip away," Stars forward and ex-Senator Jason Spezza said of team's pursuit of a playoff spot. "We put ourselves in a position where we are chasing, so it is small battles and not big picture." Ottawa extended its winning streak to three games with a 4-2 victory over Boston in a showdown for second place in the Atlantic Division. The Senators sit four points ahead of the Bruins entering a three-game road trip, the start of a closing stretch in which they play 12 of their final 18 away from home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet360, RDS (Ottawa), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (36-22-6): Ottawa sent a message about its postseason hopes with the trade-deadline acquisitions of Alex Burrows and Viktor Stalberg and the team has won all three games since importing the veteran forwards. Burrows scored one goal and set up another in Tuesday's win to give him three goals and an assist in the three games while Stalberg tallied in Saturday's 3-2 win over Columbus. Burrows has 12 goals and 12 assists to eclipse last season's point total of 22.
ABOUT THE STARS (27-29-10): One stat explains Dallas' precipitous drop-off from last season -- it has allowed a league-high 211 goals and the netminding has been wildly erratic. Kari Lehtonen raised his level in the last two victories, turning aside 83 of 86 shots at Florida and Washington to post at least 40 saves in back-to-back games for the first time since June 2008. "(He) has been really solid for us lately," said forward Patrick Sharp, who had a goal and an assist versus the Capitals.
OVERTIME
1. Senators D Erik Karlsson has three goals and 11 assists in his last 12 games.
2. Stars captain Jamie Benn has registered five goals and five assists during a seven-game point streak.
3. Ottawa G Craig Anderson has won seven of nine starts and owns a 1.78 goals-against average since returning from personal leave.