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At the Rink blog

At the Rink: Ducks at Stars

Sunday, 03.01.2015 / 2:47 PM

By Steve Hunt - NHL.com Correspondent / 2014-2015 At the Rink blog

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2014-2015 At the Rink blog
At the Rink: Ducks at Stars

DALLAS -- With the Dallas Stars on a five-game losing streak (0-3-2), coach Lindy Ruff is making one big change to his lineup before the game against the Anaheim Ducks at American Airlines Center on Sunday.

Backup goalie Jhonas Enroth will make his fourth start since being traded to Dallas from the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 11. Enroth replaces Kari Lehtonen, who allowed four goals on 23 shots in regulation during a 5-4 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

"Just going to put him [Enroth] in net and let him play," Ruff said.

Ruff is likely keeping his forward lines and defensive pairings identical from Friday. Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski, right wing Ales Hemsky and left wing Antoine Roussel did not skate Sunday but Ruff said the session was optional and that all three will play against the Ducks.

The Stars (27-25-10) could also see the return of veteran right wing Patrick Eaves, who has missed the past seven games because of a concussion sustained in a 2-0 win against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 13.

"Eaves is a possibility [for tonight], yeah," Ruff said. "We got the extra guy going for warm-up, but there's a chance he'll play."

If Eaves returns, he will skate on the fourth line to the right of left wing Colton Sceviour and center Shawn Horcoff.

The Ducks (39-17-7) are 18-8-4 on the road and have won four of their past five games.

Anaheim acquired left wing Tomas Fleischmann in a trade with Florida on Saturday that sent a third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and left wing Dany Heatley to the Panthers. Fleischmann wasn't scheduled to arrive in Dallas until early Sunday afternoon and Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau didn't rule him out, but he sounds unlikely to play.

"Well, you know what at this stage it doesn't hurt to have a practice," Boudreau said of Fleischmann. "I'm sure he's nervous as all get out. He had to board a plane at 7:30 this morning. He probably had to go to the airport last night and wait until it was cancelled, [he'll be] getting here sometime after one and then having a practice tomorrow with the guys is probably the best option."

Boudreau is making one change to his forward lines from a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. On the fourth line, center Nate Thompson returns after missing the past two games with a lower-body injury to center left wing Patrick Maroon and right wing Tim Jackman.

Boudreau is keeping his defensive pairs the same from that win against the Kings.

Goalie John Gibson was first off the ice at morning skate and will start his ninth consecutive game for Anaheim.

Here are the projected lineups:

DUCKS

Kyle PalmieriRyan GetzlafCorey Perry

Andrew CoglianoRyan KeslerJakob Silfverberg

Jiri SekacRickard RakellEmerson Etem

Patrick MaroonNate ThompsonTim Jackman

Hampus LindholmFrancois Beauchemin

Cam FowlerBen Lovejoy

Clayton StonerJosh Manson

John Gibson

Frederik Andersen

Scratched: Eric Brewer, Tomas Fleischmann

Injured: Matt Beleskey (shoulder), Sheldon Souray (torn right wrist ligament), Sami Vatanen (leg).

STARS

Jamie BennJason SpezzaErik Cole

Antoine Roussel - Cody EakinRyan Garbutt

Curtis McKenzieVernon FiddlerAles Hemsky

Colton SceviourShawn HorcoffPatrick Eaves

Alex GoligoskiJohn Klingberg

Jyrki JokipakkaTrevor Daley

Jordie BennJason Demers

Jhonas Enroth

Kari Lehtonen

Scratched: Brett Ritchie

Injured: Travis Moen (upper body), Valeri Nichushkin (hip), Tyler Seguin (knee).

Status report: Former Stars defenseman David Schlemko, a healthy scratch the past 13 games, was claimed by the Calgary Flames after being placed on waivers Saturday … The Ducks sent right wing Chris Wagner to Norfolk of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Who's hot: Getzlaf leads the NHL in primary assists (28) and is tied for second in even-strength scoring (45 points). … Benn saw his eight-game point streak ended in the shootout loss to Colorado on Friday.

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