Game Time: 1:00 PM PST | 4:00 PM EST
Location: Staples Center | Los Angeles, CA
TV Broadcast: Home Team: FSN-W
Away Team: FSN-SW
Radio Broadcast: 1150 AM; XM 205 Online broadcast: NHL Radio Internet Streams: Must use TVU Player |
Between the Pipes 
Stars @ Kings Game Notes
Their latest game featured another frustrating end in what's become a maddening month for the Dallas Stars. Now with five games left and a playoff spot not yet clinched, they're left searching for optimism.
The Stars will look to win for just the second time in 10 games on Saturday when they continue a four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Kings, owners of the worst record in the Western Conference.
Dallas (42-29-6) had lost seven of eight games in regulation heading into San Jose on Thursday, and though the Stars fell 3-2 in overtime, they did gain a point against the NHL's hottest team.
Turco has played well even though his team has been struggling. The Stars' problems begin with their offense, which, since scoring seven goals against Chicago on Feb. 28, has put up just 17 goals in nine games - never scoring more than three.
A lack of power-play success has been one of the big reasons for the lack of goal scoring. Dallas is just 5-for-41 with the man advantage in its last nine, though it did get a goal and numerous other chances against the Sharks.
One of Modano's assists came on a goal by Brenden Morrow, who scored his team-leading 30th of the season and reached that milestone for the first time in his career.
Morrow has three goals and five assists this season against the Kings (31-40-7) while Mike Ribeiro, who leads Dallas with 80 points, has four goals and seven assists, including a point in all seven meetings.
The Stars were less than four minutes from picking up a win last Saturday at home against Los Angeles, but the Kings scored three goals in less than two minutes to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 victory.
Including that win, Los Angeles is 3-0-1 in its last four games. It beat Phoenix 4-0 on Thursday behind 38 saves from Erik Ersberg, the rookie's second shutout in just his 10th NHL start.
Center Anze Kopitar - who leads the Kings with 74 points - had a goal on Thursday, his 30th of the season and his first in his last eight games. Kopitar has three goals and an assist against Dallas this season.
Second-leading scorer Alexander Frolov hasn't scored in his last six games, but he has three goals and three assists against the Stars.
The Kings have won four of seven against Dallas this season, including all three games in Los Angeles.
The Kings have a home record of 16-19-3 and their last 10 games is a record of 5-3-2.
The Stars have a road record of 20-14-4, and their last 10 games is a record of 2-7-1.
The Kings will have a home and home series starting Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion.
"When you get the first goal it gives you wings and you are more comfortable making plays you normally wouldn't,"
Kopitar said. "We have really quick defensemen and when they join the attack it really helps us."
"Erik has been playing really good, we are really comfortable with him right now,"
Kopitar said. "The last couple of games, he has really bailed us out."
"It feels great, I couldn't ask for much more," said
Ersberg, whose parents had traveled from Sweden to attend Thursday's game. "I think we played a great game defensively. I saw almost every shot and (the defense) was there on the rebounds too, so they helped me out a lot."
Los Angeles Kings
Kyle Calder (Broken finger on 3/20/08) day-to-day
Dan Cloutier (Right groin strain on 3/27/08) day-to-day
Jack Johnson (Fractured right foot on 3/18/08) day-to-day
Jason LaBarbera (Sports hernia surgery on 2/21/08) day-to-day
Ladislav Nagy (Sore neck on 1/19/08) IR
Dallas Stars
Francis Wathier (Shoulder injury on 10/01/07) IR
Sergei Zubov (Foot surgery on 1/19/08) IR
03/22/08 - Kings @ Stars 4-2 (Kings win)
01/12/08 - Stars @ Kings 4-3 (Kings win in Shootout)
12/13/07 - Kings @ Stars 4-1 (Stars win)
11/19/07 - Kings @ Stars 3-0 (Stars win)
11/10/07 - Stars @ Kings 6-5 (Kings win in OT)
10/25/07 - Stars @ Kings 2-1 (Kings win)
11/17/07 - Kings @ Stars 5-1 (Stars win)
Kings All-Time Record against Dallas (63-89-36) All-time Series ResultsLeading Scorers:
Forwards: 
Kopitar, LA - 74 points (30 G, 44 A, -16) |
Ribeiro, DAL - 80 points (27 G, 53 A, +21) Defensemen: 
Visnovsky, LA - 40 points (8 G, 32 A, -17) | Niskanen, DAL - 24 points (6 G, 18 A, +18)
Probable Starters: (subject to change) 
Ersberg, LA - 11 GP Record: 5-3-3 GAA 1.97 SV% .942 |
Holmqvist, DAL - 46 GP Record: 20-16-6 GAA 3.06 SV% .889 
Players you might want to keep an eye on: 
Alexander Frolov, LA - 65 points (23 G, 42 A, +5) | Mike Modano, DAL - 53 points (19 G, 34 A, -15)
Checking up on a fan favorite: 
Mattias Norstrom, LA - 10 points (1 G, 9 A, +0)
GAA:
LA – 3.14 (28th in NHL)
DAL – 2.49 (7th in NHL)
Avg. Goals:
LA – 2.76 (14th in NHL)
DAL – 2.83 (9th in NHL)
Power Play %:
LA – 18.1 (13th in NHL)
DAL – 18.2 (11th in NHL)
Penalty Kill %:
LA – 78.8 (27th in NHL)
DAL – 85.8 (1st in NHL)
(As of 3/28/08)
Pacific Division Standings:
1. San Jose Sharks (47-21-10) 104 pts
2. Anaheim Ducks (44-27-8) 96 pts
3. Dallas Stars (42-29-6) 90 pts
4. Phoenix Coyotes (37-35-6) 80 pts
5. Los Angeles Kings (31-40-7) 69 pts
Western Conference Standings:
1 Red Wings 109
2 Sharks 104
3 Wild 93
4 Ducks 96
5 Stars 90
6 Flames 90
7 Avalanche 90
8 Predators 86
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9 Canucks 86
10 Oilers 84
11 Blackhawks 80
12 Coyotes 80
13 Blue Jackets 79
14 Blues 74
15 Kings 69
Bottom of the Cellar Standings:
26 Islanders 75 points, 4 games remaining
27 Blues 74 points, 5 games remaining
28 Thrashers 72 points, 3 games remaining
29 Lightning 69 points, 5 games remaining
30 Kings 69 points, 4 games remaining
Key/Division Games Tonight:
Senators @ Bruins 10:00 AM PST | 1:00 PM EST
Canadiens @ Maple Leafs 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST
Flyers @ Islanders 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST
Capitals @ Panthers 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST
Hurricanes @ Lightning 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST
Blackhawks @ Blues 5:30 PM PST | 8:30 PM EST
Oilers @ Flames 7:00 PM PST | 10:00 PM EST