Dallas (7-3-6) at Minnesota (5-10-0)

  • Game info: 8:00 pm EST Sat Nov 7, 2009
  • TV: FSSW, KSTC

By JEFF MEZYDLO, STATS Senior Writer Nov 7, 2:07 am EST

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights
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The Dallas Stars appear to be fine - as long as they don’t have to play beyond the regulation 60 minutes.

After snapping a season-high three-game losing streak, the Stars hope to make a run in a positive direction when they visit the struggling Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.

Brad Richards(notes) and Brenden Morrow(notes) each scored in Dallas’ 2-1 home win over Vancouver on Friday. The result ended an 0-1-2 stretch for the Stars (7-3-6), who are 6-3 in regulation, but 1-6 in games decided in overtime or a shootout.

“You could just see the desperation in our guys,” goalie Marty Turco(notes) told the Stars’ official Web site. “It was great to see, it really was a total team effort. It was good to close it out.”

Richards extended his point streak to seven games with his sixth goal, while Morrow added his seventh and first in seven games. Morrow has four goals and four assists in his last seven games against Minnesota. Richards has five and five assists in nine career games against the Wild.

The Stars will likely expect more of the same from that pair with goal leader James Neal(notes) expected to miss a second straight game with a groin injury.

Turco made 32 saves Friday to improve to 5-2-4 with a 2.21 goals-against average this season. While Turco’s 13-4-1 with a 2.02 GAA against Minnesota, backup Alex Auld(notes) could get the start in this back-to-back scenario.

Auld is 2-1-2 with a 3.73 GAA this season and 5-1-1 with a 1.31 all-time versus the Wild (5-10-0), who have lost five of six to the Stars.

Last in the Western Conference, the Wild fell short in their bid for a third straight victory by losing 5-2 at home to Vancouver on Thursday.

Kyle Brodziak(notes) scored twice for Minnesota, which had three shots and only one on three power plays in the first period.

“All you have to do is look at the standings and see there’s got to be desperation and urgency with every game we play,” said first-year Wild coach Todd Richards, whose team averages 2.1 goals per game.

Brodziak has been one of the few productive performers in the offensive end of late. After spending his previous four seasons with Edmonton, Brodziak has scored three of his four goals in the last two games.

He has two goals and two assists against Dallas, but only one point in his last three versus the Stars.

Despite being pulled for the first time this season after giving up four goals on 17 shots Thursday, All-Star Niklas Backstrom(notes) could be back in net for this contest.

“I have to make the saves to keep us in the game,” said Backstrom, a 30-game winner the past two seasons who’s 5-8-0 with a 2.68 GAA through the first month of play and 3-5-3 with a 2.58 GAA against Dallas.

Backup Josh Harding(notes) stopped all four shots he faced in relief of Backstrom, but is 0-2-0 with a 4.73 GAA this season and 0-1-0 with a 5.45 GAA all-time versus the Stars.

It’s uncertain if Wild forward Eric Belanger(notes) will play after suffering an upper-body injury against Vancouver. Belanger is tied for the team lead with 12 points.

Updated Nov 7, 2:07 am EST
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Team Comparison

Team G W L OTL Pts Standings GF GA Road/Home
Dallas 26 12 7 7 31 3rd, Pacific 79 77 6-4-3 Road
Minnesota 25 10 12 3 23 5th, Northwest 63 75 7-3-1 Home

Injuries

No Injuries

Pierre-Marc Bouchard LW, Petr Sykora RW, Martin Havlat RW, Brent Burns D

Notes

C Mike Modano is the 30th NHL player to appear in 1,400 games. ... The Stars eliminated the Ducks in six games in the opening round of the playoffs last season. ... D Nicklas Grossman had a game-high six hits.

Apr 11, 2:13 am EDT

Minnesota finished the season 40-33-9. ... Jacques Lemaire says he won't return to the Minnesota Wild for a ninth season behind the bench. Lemaire took over the expansion Wild when they joined the NHL in 2000-01. He has a career record of 538-415-176 in 14 seasons with Montreal, New Jersey and Minnesota, leading the Devils to the 1995 Stanley Cup title. ... RW Cal Clutterbuck's 356 hits this season set an NHL record. The league started keeping the stat three seasons ago.

Apr 12, 12:03 am EDT
NHL

13 Comments

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  1. jdesk0911
    13. Posted by jdesk0911 Tue Nov 10 10:19am EST

    Report Abuse

    And further xtradloffx there is no need to tell me to STFU or call me names. I am not here to pick a fight. I am a hockey fan and I am trying to understand how the "Wild" rule and the "Stars suck" beyond you just not being a fan of the Dallas Stars. Yea, I like the Stars, and the Hawks and the Devils. So what. I don't senselessly bash other teams and spout off crap that I know nothing about. Actually, if the Wild are so much better than the Stars then I invite you or anyone to tell me where I am wrong here:

    Dallas Stars Statistics:

    Stanley Cup 98-99
    Presidents Trophy 97-98 98-99
    Campbell Bowl Winner 98-99 99-00
    Seven Division Titles
    Western Conference Champions Twice

    Players such as Joe Nieuwendyk, Brett Hull, and Neil Broten made this team great.


    Minnesota Wild Stats:

    First Playoff appearance in 2002-2003

    Swept by Ducks in Conference Finals.

    You minor league affiliate is in Houston, Texas........but Texas and Texan's suck???

    Is that about right? I know the Wild have had countless all-stars caliber players, but beyond that what exactly am I forgetting here?

    Why not knock off the personal attacks and insults and expain to me why the Stars suck and the Wild are so good? Hell I hate the Red Wings but I sure can't say they suck or they are a bad team. I could never back that up.
  2. jdesk0911
    12. Posted by jdesk0911 Tue Nov 10 10:00am EST

    Report Abuse

    Actually xtradloffx I am from Chicago, and I am a long time hockey fan. Those senseless insults are not going to work on me. And, there is nothing wrong with people from Texas. Merely speaking hockey, why don't you answer my simple questions about the Dallas Stars vs the Minnesota Wild from the beginning of their franchises? The reason is because you have nothing. The Stars have accomplished much more than the Wild have. Period. And, aren't the Wild 15th in the West right now? Like I said it is cool to have team spirit and support your team, but to say the last place team "rules" and that a team that has been a proven winner sucks is just plain ignorant. If you have to attempt to dish out personal insults to pad the pain of the truth, then that is your problem.
  3. Chris B
    11. Posted by Chris B Mon Nov 9 1:31pm EST

    Report Abuse

    The Wild are hot. They've won 3 of 4.
  4. <i>xtradloffx</i>
    10. Posted by xtradloffx Sun Nov 8 6:45pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Only two things come from Texas and jdesk doesn't seem to be a steer.
  5. <i>xtradloffx</i>
    9. Posted by xtradloffx Sun Nov 8 6:37pm EST

    Report Abuse

    jdesk you guys won one so STFU untill you can win another one moron. YOU LOSE
  6. GSPOT
    8. Posted by GSPOT Sun Nov 8 5:32pm EST

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    Dallas sucks. Wild will continue to improve as the season rolls along.

    GO WILD!!!!!!!!
  7. jdesk0911
    7. Posted by jdesk0911 Sun Nov 8 3:36pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Most of you are pretty ignorant. The Stars have consistently been a really good team since coming to Dallas. It is ok to have team spirit if you are a WIld fan, or a fan for any other team. But to say that they suck is pretty ignorant.

    How many cups do the Wild have? How many Conference Championship banners do the Wild have?

    Come on people.
  8. Griz O
    6. Posted by Griz O Sun Nov 8 2:38pm EST

    Report Abuse

    i agree they need to get a better system that shows starting line ups and previous or predicted line combinations, so you know if someone gets moved down, I ususlly try to find a local blog site will usually have staring goalie on game day ( like hockeywilderness.com usually does for MN)
    P.S Stars sucks they dont deserve to keep the stars name, go wild
  9. <i>snakeriverranch</i>
    5. Posted by snakeriverranch Sat Nov 7 10:22pm EST

    Report Abuse

    @scott-

    I don't have any URLs off the top of my head, but there are at least two Web sites out there that post starting goalies. Do a search and you should be able to find them.
  10. Dan G
    4. Posted by Dan G Sat Nov 7 8:47pm EST

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    Dallas blows, go WILD!
  11. Scott
    3. Posted by Scott Sat Nov 7 8:06pm EST

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    It's really starting to piss me off that Yahoo can't post the starting goalies until it's too late to insert the goalie into the starting slot. I still don't know if Turco is starting, and the game is already on TV.....Yahoo, that's piss poor!
  12. <i>xtradloffx</i>
    2. Posted by xtradloffx Sat Nov 7 3:40pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Go WILD!!! F U Dallas Hockey does not belong in the SOUTH.
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