The Ducks (21-21-3) return to Southern California for three of their next four games and begin the slate by hosting the Stars (27-10-9).
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. PT and will air on TNT.
Anaheim is coming off another loss and dropped its most recent game, 5-3, to the Sabres on Saturday.
“We weren’t great to start the game,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “We got behind, but we were in the game. We’re down two, then it goes to three, and it looks like we had no chance. Then all of a sudden the pucks are going in.”
Olen Zellweger, Leo Carlsson, and Mason McTavish all scored for the Ducks in the loss.
With the Ducks returning to home ice, Quenneville reflected on the most recent road trip and noted how in order to find success, his squad needs to stop making ill-advised mistakes.
“It’s been a tough go coming off that trip,” Quenneville added. “Let’s get back to simplifying and let’s have a check-first mentality in the game against a team that is very skilled and can make plays.”
Troy Terry, who has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, will be a game-time decision per Quenneville. Terry said while it’s been tough to watch while sidelined, it felt good to be back out on the ice with his teammates on Tuesday.
“It feels like when you’re going through these [stretches,] the hockey gods feel against you a little bit at times,“ Terry said. “It’s also on us. I think we just need to realize that the way out of it isn’t by taking shortcuts or anything, it’s just getting back to the basics of defending, mostly. I think if we’re doing that, we’re giving ourselves chances.”
This is the third and final regular season meeting between the two teams. The Ducks and Stars have split the series so far.
Dallas comes into this game fresh off a 3-1 win over the Kings on Monday. Mikko Rantanen leads Dallas in assists (44) and points (62) while Jason Robertson leads the team in goals with 27.
Despite being 2-2-2 in the month of January so far, Terry knows how dangerous Dallas can be and how it’s on the Ducks to play smart hockey in hopes of earning a win.
“They’ve been a premier team in the league,” Terry said of the Stars. “[With] some really high-end forwards, great D-corps, so they’re kind of just and all-around team. They can play any style of hockey and that’s another team that if we’re too loose and turn the pucks over and make mental mistakes, they can make you pay.”
