After a tough road loss against Boston, the Dallas Stars hope to get back in the win column against the Rangers.
A team doesn't ultimately know how good it can be until it faces a challenge.
The Dallas Stars have battled through numerous injuries and a brutal February schedule. Yet, they still remain in first place in the Central division even after a 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on the road.
Now, Dallas will try to gain back some momentum against the New York Rangers in the second game of a back-to-back.
It won't be easy, as the Rangers are riding a seven-game winning streak and lead the Metropolitan Division with a 36-16-3 record and 75 points. They're coming off a thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind win over the New York Islanders Sunday in the NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Field.
Forward Artemi Panarin scored the game-winner just 10 seconds into overtime in front of a crowd of 79,690. It was the 41st outdoor game in NHL history, and there was no shortage of drama.
The Rangers trailed 4-1 early in the second period and 5-3 with five minutes to go in regulation. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad quickly changed that with a pair of power play goals to set up overtime.
The Rangers became the first team to rally from three goals down in an NHL outdoor game and improved to 5-0 outdoors, most in the league.
Playing from behind is nothing new for the Blueshirts, having won 18 come-from-behind games this season. Both teams have impressive records in one-goal games: Dallas is 18-6-8, the Rangers 15-4-3.
The two teams last squared off in Dallas last November. It was the Stars who mounted a comeback in that game, trailing 2-0 in the second period before exploding for six consecutive goals to snap the Rangers' 11-game point streak.
Six different Stars had goals, while goalie Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves in his fifth start of the season.
Things to Watch for:
- Tyler Seguin has five points (3-2-5) in his last four games against the Rangers, including four points in his last four against them at Madison Square Garden.
- In 23 career games against the Rangers, Joe Pavelski has 21 points (7-14-21) against the Rangers.
- Following their shootout loss to Boston, the Stars extend their point streak to five games (3-0-2).
- Of the Rangers' 18 comeback wins this season, nine have come in the third period, tied for the most in the NHL.
- Adam Fox has six assists in his last two games and points in eight of his last 11 for the Rangers.
A Big Call-up
Stars general manager Jim Nill announced the team has recalled forward Logan Stankoven from the Texas Stars, Dallas' AHL development affiliate.
Stankoven has taken off in his first professional season. He leads the AHL in points (24-33-57) and is tied for second in goals and fourth in assists in 46 games.
The 20-year-old Stankoven, a British Columbia native, ranks first in goals, assists, points and shots on goal (147) among AHL rookies.
Stankoven scored in his NHL debut last October 13 against Tucson and had points in his first four games (4-3-7). He earned AHL Rookie of the Month honors in November, recording 15 points (8-7-15).
Earlier this month, Stankoven joined Texas teammates Matěj Blümel and Mavrik Bourque at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic.
Stankoven was selected by Dallas in the second round (47th overall) in the 2021 NHL draft and has yet to play in an NHL game. Coach Pete DeBoer says Stankoven's status will be determined at game time based on the health of Matt Duchene (lower-body injury).
Defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who missed the Bruins game to celebrate the birth of his first child, was on the ice during morning skate in New York and is expected to play. Defenseman Alexander Petrovic, who was called up and in the lineup for the Boston game, has been loaned to Texas.
Scott Wedgewood will be in goal for the Stars, giving Jake Oettinger a rest on a back-to-back.
Puck drop is at 6 Pm CT, and the game can be viewed on Bally Sports Southwest.
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