Game 55: Dallas Stars @ Anaheim Ducks
9:00 p.m. CT
Honda Center; Anaheim, California
Ducks (40-11-5, 85 pts)
Anaheim? Well, the Ducks are only the best team in the NHL at the moment (six points better than Chicago) and also the best home team in the league (22-2-0).
The Ducks actually didn’t lose a home game all year until a Jan. 21 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. They’ve dropped another home game since then (4-2 loss on Jan. 28 to the Wild), so there’s the slightest crack in the armor there in Anaheim.
It’s still going to be quite a tall task though for the Stars. They’ve lost only three of their 14 games in January and have been putting up goals in bunches.
Leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has points in 11 of the last 12 games and has been on a tear alongside the hated Corey Perry.
Injuries:
Sheldon Souray is out for the year with a serious wrist injury, and Bonino is going to be out until the Olympic break with a wrist issue of his own.
Probable Lineup:
Forwards:
Penner – Getzlaf – Perry
Maroon – Perreault – Selanne
Silfverberg – Koivu – Cogliano
Jackman – Winnik – Beleskey
Defensemen:
Beauchemin – Lindholm
Lovejoy – Fowler
Fistric – Sbisa
Goalie - Hiller
Stars (24-21-9, 57 pts)
Dallas is in a rough way on the road right now. The Stars have lost five in a row, and going up against the league’s best home team does them no favors.
Dallas does well against the up-tempo teams though, so they actually should be able to do a bit better tonight.
A couple of storylines to watch include how Ryan Garbutt does. He had a notable hit earlier this year that knocked out Dustin Penner for a while, and earning a suspension himself, and you can bet the Ducks will be wary of him tonight.
Dallas also see old buddy Mark Fistric in uniform for the Ducks tonight.
There was some slightly surprising news that Dan Ellis is getting the start tonight. He hasn’t played since Jan. 12. He actually presided over a Dallas victory over the Ducks back in November.
Probable Lineup:
Forwards:
Jamie Benn – Seguin – Nichushkin
Peverley – Eakin – Cole
Roussel – Fiddler – Garbutt
Whitney – Horcoff – Chiasson
Defensemen:
Goligoski – Daley
Jordie Benn – Dillon
Connauton – Gonchar
Goalie – Dan Ellis