At the Rink: Stars at Devils

NEWARK, N.J. -- Right wing Valeri Nichushkin will be out of the lineup because of a lower-body injury for the Dallas Stars against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; FS-SW+, MSG+).

Nichushkin sustained his injury late in the second period of a 5-1 victory against the Nashville Predators on Thursday and did not return to the game. The 20-year-old practiced Friday and Saturday but coach Lindy Ruff thought it best to sit him for the first of a back-to-back set this weekend.

"He was doing a lot better [Saturday] and we'll see where he's at [Sunday at the New York Islanders]," Ruff said. "The smart thing is to keep him off."

Nichushkin, who has four goals, 13 points and 57 shots on goal in 37 games, will be replaced in the lineup by Radek Faksa. Faksa, who appeared in 14 NHL games earlier in the season, was recalled from Texas of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. His last game with the Stars was Nov. 14 in a 3-2 win against the Minnesota Wild. Faksa has one goal and two points with the Stars.

"I'm just trying to be around the net, pick up the rebounds because I've got the big body," Faksa said.

Left wing Mike Cammalleri, who leads New Jersey with 35 points, returned to practice Saturday after taking a maintenance day Friday. He was seen icing his right forearm after scoring twice in a 3-0 victory at the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. Left wing Tuomo Ruutu practiced the past two days after missing the past two games because of an illness.

The Stars (28-8-3) are 5-1-1 in the past seven games and lead the NHL with 59 points. They begin a three-game road trip that continues Sunday at the New York Islanders and Tuesday at the New York Rangers.

Center Tyler Seguin has four goals in the past four games and is tied with Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane for second in the League with 23 goals. Dallas left wing Jamie Benn, who leads the League with 24 goals, has four goals and 11 points during a seven-game point streak.

"We've got 22 guys buying into the system that Lindy [Ruff] has given us and we're playing the right way," Benn said. "Obviously we've found some good chemistry within this group so I think that all contributes a good start."

Stars goaltender Antti Niemi, the expected starter, is 4-1-1 with a 1.44 goals-against average in his past six games. He is 4-1-0 with a 1.76 GAA against New Jersey.

The Devils (19-14-5) seek their first three-game winning streak since Oct. 16-22. Goaltender Cory Schneider, who has allowed two or fewer goals in 18 of his past 24 starts since Oct. 29, is 0-1-1 with a 3.43 GAA and .914 SV% against the Stars. He's 3-2-1 with a 1.82 GAA in his past six games.

"It's important to get points, but the bigger focus is beating a very good team," Schneider said. "It's more exciting knowing we have an opportunity to play one of the best teams in the League. If we meet that challenge it'll continue to help our goal of winning multiple games in a row. You can't really focus on winning three in a row. You have to say 'Who are we playing [today] and how can we beat them?'"

Here are the projected lineups:

STARS

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Patrick Sharp

Mattias Janmark - Jason Spezza – Patrick Eaves

Antoine Roussel – Cody Eakin – Colton Sceviour

Vernon Fiddler - Radek Faksa - Patrick Eaves

Alex Goligoski – John Klingberg

Johnny Oduya – Jason Demers

Jyrki Jokipakka - Jordie Benn

Antti Niemi

Kari Lehtonen

Scratched: Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak

Injured: Ales Hemsky (lower body), Valeri Nichushkin (lower body)

DEVILS

Mike Cammalleri - Travis Zajac - Kyle Palmieri

Jiri Tlusty - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak

Stefan Matteau - Sergey Kalinin - Mike Sislo

Bobby Farnham - Stephen Gionta - Jordin Tootoo

Andy Greene - John Moore

David Schlemko - Adam Larsson

Jon Merrill - Damon Severson

Cory Schneider

Keith Kinkaid

Injured: Patrik Elias (knee), Jacob Josefson (lower body).

Scratched: Tuomo Ruutu, Eric Gelinas, Tyler Kennedy

Status report: Nemeth is a healthy scratch for an eighth consecutive game and Oleksiak is for a 10th straight. … The Devils held an optional practice Saturday. … Tootoo, who was struck in the right side of his jaw when Gelinas attempted to clear the puck from behind the net during practice on Friday, will play. "That's what hockey players do," Tootoo said. "We battle through injuries and whatever."

Who's hot: Seguin has eight goals and 10 points in the past nine games. … Sharp has four goals and 10 points in seven games. … Stempniak has four goals and 10 points in the past 14 games.

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