Atop of the Central division and led by the first and second highest scorers in the NHL, the Dallas Stars head into their first match-up of their season’s first back-to-back game nights on a three-game winning streak.
The Dallas Stars face off with the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto, Canada, at the Air Canada Centre.
Tonight’s game kicks off a four-game road trip for the Dallas Stars. The game will be broadcasted on Fox Sports Southwest (FSSW), and can be listened to on 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket.
Records and Scores
The victory green are 9-2-0 (18 points) after winning their last three times on the ice.
While the Stars have had a lot of success to begin the season, it’s been quite the opposite for the Maple Leafs.
Toronto is just 1-7-2 (4 points) in their first 10 games. The Maple Leafs, who have lost their last six games, are desperately looking to get back on the right track, starting tonight against the Dallas Stars.
Story lines
Stars are streaking again
After falling to the Florida Panthers on October 24thh, the Stars bounced back to win their next three.
Dallas won five straight games from October 13th-22nd, and are already on their second long winning tenure of this young season.
Benn/Seguin still atop NHL leader board
The Stars captain, Jamie Benn, and his partner-in-crime, Tyler Seguin, are continuing their domination on the ice.
Seguin has five goals, along with 11 assists to total out 16 points. Benn has found the back of the net nine times, and has added on eight helpers.
Benn, after winning the Art Ross Trophy last year, has more points than anyone in the NHL. Seguin, however, is just one point behind him.
Either way, it’s not a competition between those two. It’s the fact that they both lead the entire league in scoring that is the amazing part.
Stars begin another long road trip
The Dallas Stars already had a four game road trip earlier in the young season, and went 4-0-0 in those match-ups, defeating Florida, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Starting tonight, the Stars have their second four game road trip.
After tonight in Toronto, the Stars then hit the ice again in Boston tomorrow night. Following that, they have a two-day rest, and clash in Carolina on Friday night.
To conclude the road trip, the Dallas Stars face the Red Wings of Detroit on Sunday, before heading back to Dallas.
Injury Report
Both teams are pretty beat up.
For the Stars, Patrick Eaves remains out with a lower body injury. On top of Eaves missing significant time, Curtis McKenzie has not played since the fifth game of the season due to a hip injury. To round it out, Travis Moen is out with an upper body injury.
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For the Maple Leafs, defenseman Scott Harrington is day-to-day with an upper body injury and former Dallas Star Stephane Robidas is also out for tonight’s with a lower body injury. Forward Nick Spaling, enduring a lower body injury, will also not play.
Projected Lines
Dallas Stars
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Patrick Sharp
Radek Faksa – Jason Spezza – Ales Hemsky
Mattias Janmark – Cody Eakin – Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel – Vernon Fiddler – Colton Sceviour
Alex Goligoski – John Klingberg
Toronto Maple Leafs
James Van Riemsdyk – Nazem Kadri – Leo Komarov
Shawn Matthias – Tyler Bozak – P.A. Parenteau
Daniel Winnik – Nick Spaling – Joffrey Lupul
Michael Grabner – Byron Froese – Brad Boyes
Prediction
The Dallas Stars are playing exceptional hockey, and the Maple Leafs are not. It’s that simple.
Next: Dallas Stars Penalty Kill Keeping Them In Games
Because of that, I like Dallas winning this one 4-1, and heading into Boston tomorrow night with their fourth straight win.