Dallas (5-8-3) at Phoenix (8-7-0), 9:00pm EST
GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars are apparently
suffering from a lengthy playoff hangover - and more than a
month into the new season it shows no signs of letting up.
The struggling Stars will try to get on track and snap a
three-game winless streak when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes on
Saturday for a Pacific Division clash.
Dallas advanced to the Western Conference finals last season,
falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
But it got off to a sluggish start to the new campaign and,
after a brief recovery, has fallen on hard times again. The
Stars have dropped three in a row - though one was an overtime
loss - with all three games coming against divisional opponents.
Goaltender Marty Turco has gotten off to a rough start, ranking
last in the NHL with a 3.70 goals against average and .865 save
percentage. He has an. 886 save percentage against the Coyotes
for his career and lost four of five meetings last season.
However, during the team's recent skid, he hasn't been the
problem. The Stars have managed just five goals over their last
three games to slip to last place in the division.
The Coyotes, meanwhile, had won three straight before giving up
four power-play goals in a 4-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on
Thursday.
Center Olli Jokinen (seven goals, nine assists) and right wing
Shane Doan (nine goals, seven assists) lead the club with 16
points apiece, including a combined nine over the last four
games.