Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars: Game 20

Dallas Stars (6-10-4) @ Minnesota Wild (12-6-1)

Xcel Energy Center @ 7:00 CST

Television: KSTC (12/45)
Radio: KBGY 107.5 FM and BOB 106.1 FM.

For the Dallas perspective, check out Razor with an Edge and StarsBlog

Tonight's lines:

NOTES:

• Stephane Veilleux will play in his 300th career game for the Wild tonight. The others? Marian Gaborik, Nick Schultz, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Pascal Dupuis, Antti Laaksonen, Filip Kuba and Wes Walz
  With Matt Niskanen, Mark Parrish and Toby Petersen coming home to play, the Stars still have some Minnesota connections, other than Mike Modano.
  Mike Modano has recorded 24 points (7-17=24) in 28 games against the Wild. Modano needs two points to reach 1,300 for his career.
• The Wild rank among the lower-producing offenses in the league, with a total 49 goals, and has scored more than four times in a game just once in 2008-09.
• Marty Turco, who made 21 saves in his 400th NHL game on Monday, is 11-4-1 with a 1.96 GAA in 19 career games versus the Wild.
• Niklas Backstrom ranks among the best in the league with a 2.05 GAA and a .930 save%
• Dallas has allowed a Western Conference-worst 74 goals.
• Dallas is 10-2-1 in the series since the start of 2005-06, and has won three straight over Minnesota including a 4-2 home victory on Oct. 29.

Questions to Answer

1. Can the Wild get an early lead? If so, can they hang on to it without giving us a coronary?
   Can the veterans take over a game, please?
   Can the Wild take advantage of a weak defensive team and use the counter-attack to rack up the goals?
   Will Burns finally find the back of the net up front? If not, should he really be there?
   Will the energy line of Clutterbuck, Pouliot and Boogaard continue to put on the pressure?

Jacques Lemaire Pregame Interview

James Sheppard Pregame Interview