American Airlines Center@ 7:30
Television: FSN
Listen live on WCCO.com, or locally on 830 WCCO
For the Dallas perspective, check out Razor with an Edge and StarsBlog
Lines
| Minnesota | Dallas |
| Miettinen - Koivu - Brunette Nolan - Belanger - Bouchard Veilleux - Sheppard - Gilles Weller - Pouliot - Boogaard Burns - Schultz Bergeron - Skoula Johnsson - Zidlicky Backstrom Harding | Morrow - Ribeiro - Eriksson |
The Stars are struggling early, especially defensively. 23 year old Fabian Brunnstrom is the worst defensive player in the NHL this season. In 10:18 of even strength ice time, Brunnstrom has seen 9 goals scored against his line, making a GA/60 of 7.36. Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott are also on this list with 5.08 and 4.93 GA/60 respectively. Needless to say, there aren't any Wild players in the top (bottom?) 25.
From James Mirtle's From the Rink
You can see why the Stars were a bit hesitant to put Brunnstrom into prime time action. Even only playing less than 11 minutes at even strength a night in just seven games, Brunnstrom has seen nine goals go in his own net so far this season despite playing against relatively easy opposition.
From the pre-game
Making opponents work for goals is precisely what the Stars aren't doing well enough. Dallas has already yielded 38 goals, including five or more in five of its nine games. The Stars rallied from two goals down to force overtime Saturday against Washington, but fell 6-5 when Alexander Semin beat Marty Turco at 2:17 of the extra session.
"The goals-against is a joke right now," coach Dave Tippett said. "There are a lot of guilty parties out there. It's not the way we do things around here, to have to score seven goals to win. Our goaltending hasn't been very good."
Notes
- Brent Burns is at least on the ice ready to participate in the morning skate.
- Jacques Lemaire said he thinks he’ll play and Burns is listed as “possible” on the Wild’s injury report. He’s got a lower body injury. If Burns can’t play, Tomas Mojzis will get the call because Erik Reitz stayed in the Twin Cities with the flu.
- Tobias Stephan will be in goal tonight against the Minnesota Wild. It will be Stephan's first start of the season.
- The Stars last put together back to back regular season wins on the 26th and 28th of February of last season. That’s a span of 23 games.
- My favorite quote from StarsBlog "Is there a rule in the NHL about limiting the number of goals a team can score? With the Stars execrable defense and worse goaltending,such a rule may be needed."
- The Wild are 3-8-2 with one tie in Dallas. Minnesota has dropped eight straight games in Dallas since a 3-2 overtime victory on March 21, 2003, including a pair of defeats last season by a combined 11-4 margin.
Questions to Answer
- Can we relax while watching the third?
- Will AMA run wild over the weak Dallas D?
- Will tonight be the night the PK finally gives one up?
- Will Mike Modano continue to play like an all-star?
- Does Norm Green still suck?