Stars seeking points, not revenge, as they host Jets

Monday, 03.24.2014 / 2:42 PM

By Steve Hunt - NHL.com Correspondent / 2013-2014 At the Rink Blog

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DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars are eight days removed from a 7-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. However, as the Jets and Stars face each other again Monday at American Airlines Center, revenge will not be the goal of the Dallas players.

"Points are so important that the games within the game are overrated at this point in the year," Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski said. "It's more about points and playing the way we're supposed to play. At the end of the night if you do that you have a good chance of winning."

Dallas beat the Ottawa Senators 3-1 on Saturday to snap a four-game winless streak, and the Stars are 6-1-1 in their past eight home games, a trend coach Lindy Ruff would like to see continue.

"I think we got some timely scoring. You can go back to the Minnesota game here [March 8], I thought there's been games where we have played some real tight defense and got great goaltending, so it's just been a combination of different areas," Ruff said of the recipe for Dallas' recent home success. "And I think even that special teams were a big part of that in quite a few of those games."

Ruff is keeping his forward lines and defense pairings nearly identical to those he employed in the win against the Senators. However, center Dustin Jeffrey, recalled from Texas of the American Hockey League on Monday , will center Dallas' fourth line, alongside left wing Shawn Horcoff and right wing Alex Chiasson.

Center Chris Mueller, assigned to the AHL to make room for Jeffrey, had been centering that line in Dallas' previous six games.

Veteran left wing Erik Cole (upper body) will miss a second straight game for Dallas. Cole also missed the game Saturday, ending a streak of 296 consecutive games played which dated back to 2010 when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Goalie Kari Lehtonen will start a third straight game for Dallas.

Winnipeg will be without left wing and captain Andrew Ladd against the Stars. Ladd is not with the team after his wife gave birth to a daughter Sunday evening.

"Yeah, [he's a] new dad," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "[His wife had a] baby girl last night, new Jets fan, so we're pretty excited for him."

Maurice said Ladd will return for the Jets' game on Thursday at the San Jose Sharks.

With Ladd out Maurice shuffled his lines, moving left wing Evander Kane from the third line to take Ladd's spot on the top line alongside center Bryan Little and right wing Michael Frolik.

The Jets' second line will consist of left wing Eric O'Dell, center Jim Slater and right wing Devin Setoguchi.

Left wing Dustin Byfuglien, center Olli Jokinen and right wing Blake Wheeler will make up Winnipeg's third line, while the fourth line features left wing Eric Tangradi, center Patrice Cormier, recalled from St. John's of the AHL on Monday, and right wing Matt Halischuk.

Maurice also made two changes to his defense pairings, moving Keaton Ellerby up to the top pair alongside Tobias Enstrom. Paul Postma took Ellerby's spot on the third pairing, alongside Adam Pardy.

Maurice called defenseman Zach Bogosian, who left Winnipeg's 3-2 loss to Carolina on Saturday, doubtful for Monday.

Besides Cormier, Winnipeg also recalled forward Carl Klingberg from the AHL on Monday, but it appears Klingberg will be scratched.

Goalie Al Montoya will make a sixth consecutive start for Winnipeg.

Here are the projected lineups:

JETS

Evander Kane - Bryan Little - Michael Frolik

Eric O'Dell - Jim Slater - Devin Setoguchi

Dustin Byfuglien - Olli Jokinen - Blake Wheeler

Eric Tangradi - Patrice Cormier - Matt Halischuk

Tobias Enstrom - Keaton Ellerby

Mark Stuart - Jacob Trouba

Adam Pardy - Paul Postma