The Dallas Stars return home to take on the Los Angeles Kings for the first time this season.
The Dallas Stars are coming off a back-to-back that started with a loss at home on Friday against the Nashville Predators and ended with a comeback win Saturday in Chicago against the Blackhawks. The Los Angeles Kings are on the second day of a back-to-back after a day game this afternoon in Carolina.
The Kings were on an eight-game losing streak before snapping it with a 5-2 win over the Hurricanes. Los Angeles currently sits third in the Pacific Division with 50 points, holding on to that coveted top three spot because of a red hot start on the road. They won their first 11 games away from home, but have gone just 3-4-3 on the road since.
The Kings need as many points as possible to keep their place above the surging Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken, who are both creeping up with 47 points after slow starts.
What to watch for:
- Jason Robertson is on a five-game point streak with three goals and three assists. Though he has not faced the Kings much in his short career, Robertson has seven points in those five meetings. Additionally, Robertson is currently the only point-per-game player on the Stars with 43 points in 42 games.
- All-Star goalie duel: both Jake Oettinger and Cam Talbot are headed to Toronto for the All-Star Game in early February. With David Rittich starting for the Kings yesterday, Talbot will be in net to face the Stars. Talbot has a goals-against average of 2.34 and a save percentage of .918% in 29 games played this season. Oettinger holds a 2.96 goals against average and a .902% save percentage in 29 games played.
- Drew Doughty leads the NHL in time on ice this season at 26:06 per game. The former Norris Trophy winner and two time Stanley Cup champion is still the main man on defense for the Kings at 34 years old, registering 21 points and a +11 rating so far this season. Miro Heiskanen led the Stars with 25:03 time on ice per game before getting injured, with Esa Lindell in second at 20:02.
- During this morning's skate, Pete DeBoer reported that it would be the same lineup, but the lines would be shuffled. Ty Dellandrea is the healthy scratch for the seventh game in a row.
Scott Wedgewood was listed as day-to-day following an injury mid-game against the Blackhawks, recalling Matt Murray from the Texas Stars.
The Stars are 3-0 at home against the Kings since the resumption of the normal schedule after the 2021 shortened season. The only home meeting under head coach Pete DeBoer was a 5-2 win early on last season.
The Stars and Kings haven't played since last January 19, a 4-0 shutout by Scott Wedgewood in LA. Tyler Seguin scored two goals and Jason Robertson potted his 31st of the season.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CST and can be seen on ESPN+ and Hulu.
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