Blues at Stars
The Dallas Stars continue a critical five-game homestand against the Central Division-rival St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Dallas coach Lindy Ruff told reporters last week, "I think all the season is going to land on this homestand," and the Stars are responding with two victories in three contests, including a 3-1 win over Philadelphia on Saturday that snapped the Flyers' 10-game winning streak and unveiled an unlikely combatant in Dallas's lineup.
The urgency was felt Saturday when Stars forward Jason Spezza didn't like the way his team was playing in the first period, so he decided to take matters into his own hands by fighting for the first time since 2009. "I think (the fight) was huge," Ruff told reporters. "It's an out of character moment. When you are dealing with adversity, which we have been, it is out of character moments that spur the team. ... That made a statement that I am going to bring some desperation, and you guys follow." St. Louis lost at home to Edmonton 3-2 in overtime Monday for its fifth straight defeat against Western Conference teams and tries to snap a four-game slide versus the Central Division on Tuesday. The Blues and Stars split the first two of four meetings this season with St. Louis prevailing 4-3 in overtime Nov. 28 and Dallas winning 6-2 on Nov. 3 as Stars defensemen combined for six goals in the two contests.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE BLUES (17-11-5): Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 16th goal of the season Monday and third in five games, and leads the NHL with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in December while remaining two points behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid for the NHL lead (40-38). Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, second on the club with 23 points, recorded an assist Monday and has four points in his last four games. Jake Allen (15-7-3, 2.60 goals-against average, .905 save percentage) is expected to start in goal Tuesday after backup Carter Hutton manned the crease Monday.
ABOUT THE STARS (13-14-6): Ruff separated Tyler Seguin (10 goals, team-best 32 points), Jamie Benn (nine, 28) and Spezza (five, 15) on Saturday after the trio went scoreless in three of the four games they were together since combining for eight points in their debut as linemates. Patrick Eaves leads Dallas with 11 goals, but scored only twice in the past 14 games since recording six in a five-game outburst last month. Antti Niemi (7-4-3, 2.85, .913) is expected to make his fourth straight start in goal Tuesday since he is 7-2-1, 1.81, .943 at home while center Cody Eakin misses the second contest of a four-game suspension after his illegal hit on New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist on Thursday.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas D Jamie Oleksiak scored twice in the Nov. 28 meeting while D John Klingberg recorded a pair Nov. 3.
2. Tarasenko has nine goals and 14 points in 16 games versus the Stars.
3. Dallas' power play is 2-for-23 in its last seven games, dropping its success rate to 16.5 percent overall and 14.8 at home.