Dallas Stars @ Anaheim Ducks
Sunday April 3, 7PM CT
Hopefully during the game tonight, the Dallas Stars don’t get nightmares of the last game that occurred between these two teams. In that last meeting, the Ducks tied the game with seven seconds left in regulation and then won the game in overtime. Since that game, the Stars (38-28-11, 87 points) have plummeted out of the playoff race while the Anaheim Ducks (44-29-5, 93 points) have contined to be one of the hottest teams in the league.
The Stars sit in 10th place, five points out of a playoff spot and they no longer have a game in hand on the 8th place Chicago Blackhawks. To make the playoffs, Dallas must win four of their last five games and Chicago must lose four of those five.
Many things have contributed to this slide, from the lack of urgency in their style of play to the failure of the top offensive players to score points. All-in-all this just shows that this team is not playoff ready; this is not a team that would make a deep run.
Anaheim comes into this game after losing 4-2 at San Jose, while Dallas is coming off a 3-1 loss against Los Angeles.
About the Stars:
- Dallas has lost six games in a row and managed only three points out of a possible 12.
- Dallas is 1-2-2 against the Ducks this season, allowing at least four goals in each of the losses.
- Adam Burrish (leg), Brian Sutherby (back) and Nick Grossman (knee) will all be out for this game.
- Kari Lehtonen is has started all five games against the Ducks this season and compiled the 1-2-2 record. He has a 3.34 goals-against average, allowing 17 goals in those games. Only San Jose has scored more goals against Kari this season.
- Dallas comes into the game with a 18-17-3 road record, fourth worst in the Western Conference.
- Loui Eriksson and Brad Richards have at least a point in each of the games they have played against the Ducks this season. Richards missed the March 4 meeting due to his concussion.
- Dallas has two goals in their last three games.
About the Ducks:
- Anaheim has a 24-12-2 home record, third best in the Western Conference.
- Goaltender Jonas Hiller is still out due to his vertigo.
- Defenseman and Stars killer Lubomir Visnovsky sustained an upper body injury in the Ducks game against San Jose, courtesy of Douglas Murray, and is a game-time decision. Visnovsky has four goals and six assists against the Stars this season.
- Teemu Selanne has three goals and four assists against the Stars and Ryan Getzlaf has one goal and seven assists.
- Jonas Hiller started the first three games against the Stars, winning two of them. Dan Ellis and Ray Emery started a game each. Both goalies allowed three goals in their respective games, but won in overtime.
| Dallas Stars |
Anaheim Ducks |
|
| Record | 1-2-2 | 4-1-0 |
| Game 1 at Dallas | Dallas – 2 | Anaheim – 5 |
| Game 2 at Anaheim | Dallas – 2 | Anaheim – 4 |
| Game 3 at Dallas | Dallas – 2 | Anaheim – 1 |
| Game 4 at Anaheim (Overtime) | Dallas – 3 | Anaheim – 4 |
| Game 5 at Dallas (Overtime) | Dallas – 3 | Anaheim – 4 |
| Shots on Goal Per Game | 28.8 | 29 |
| Penalty Minutes Per Game | 13.4 | 10.4 |
| Power Play | 4 for 17 (24%) | 6 for 19 (32%) |
| Last 10 Games | 2-5-3 | 7-3-0 |
