DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars have struggled on the power play in their past seven games, so coach Lindy Ruff wants to get back to basics Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; FS-O, FS-SW).

The Stars power play is third in the NHL (22.9 percent), but aside from going 2-for-3 in a 6-5 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 8, they're 0-for-21 with the man advantage since a 3-2 shootout win against the Vancouver Canucks on November 27, a game where the power play was 2-for-5.

"It needs to get quicker and we need to get more attack," Ruff said. "Beginning of the year, we were getting pucks inside, we were getting people inside, we were looking for bounces and redirections and second opportunities. Right now, we're a little bit of a power play that's looking for the perfect play again. Our best chances are really kind of the highlight-reel type of plays"

DALLAS -- Defenseman Jason Demers will return Friday from an upper-body injury that cost him three games when the Dallas Stars face the Philadelphia Flyers at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; TCN-PH, FS-SW).

"(I) feel good. Don't like missing time, so this has been a tough couple of days. But I am ready to go," said Demers, who last played Dec. 1 at the Calgary Flames.

Demers will return to his customary spot alongside Johnny Oduya, a defensive pair Stars coach Lindy Ruff likes for one reason.

"When we have the two sets of lefties out there, our puck movement isn't as good. It's shown up in all the games where [Demers] hasn't played," Ruff said. "There's a reason teams like having the lefty-righty combination. When you are under that much duress, when you are on your forehand you can still make plays. If you are on your backhand things are tougher."

DALLAS -- Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff shuffled his third and fourth lines in advance of their game against the Carolina Hurricanes at American Airlines Center on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; FS-CR, FS-SW).

Veteran Patrick Sharp moves from right wing to left wing on the third line alongside Cody Eakin and Ales Hemsky. Antoine Roussel, Vernon Fiddler and Colton Sceviour will skate on the fourth line.

Sharp will play his first game at left wing this season, but has experience at the position.

"He said to me that he likes playing left wing sometimes more than playing right wing," Ruff said. "So, it gets to open up a little bit more of the shooting and playmaking, and I think that when you can use a player in any of those positions, it just gives you more options."

DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars are the only team in the NHL yet to lose consecutive games this season, a trend coach Lindy Ruff wants to continue against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-SW, SNP).

“Well, I feel we get back to playing just solid two-way hockey [after a loss],” Ruff said. “We’ve been good at getting right back to the game we need to play, so it’s led to success for us.”

Ruff is keeping his forward lines intact from a 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, which ended a five-game winning streak for Dallas (17-5-0).

“It brings you back down to earth,” captain Jamie Benn said. “You learn that any team can come in here and whip your butt. It was embarrassing for us, especially in our home rink and in front of our home fans. We don’t want that to happen again.”

Ottawa (10-5-5) defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 on Saturday at Canadian Tire Centre. On Thursday, the Senators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0. Anderson stopped 51 shots in the two shutouts. He is starting his fifth consecutive game.

DALLAS -- The Buffalo Sabres have the League's second-worst penalty kill (72.9 percent) but hope to keep the power play of the Dallas Stars, who have the League's second-best unit (28.3 percent) in check on Saturday at American Airlines Center (8 p.m. ET; MSG-B, BELL TV, FS-SW).

"We've been much better in a lot of areas of the penalty kill. What we haven't been as good at is allowing zone time and allowing time for a power play. When you can prevent that, that's when we've been at our best," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "Give a power play extended zone time, like the one we're going to be facing tonight, they're going to take their opportunities."

DALLAS -- Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella, who missed the previous two games because of personal reasons, will return to the lineup Saturday against the Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; FS-SW+, FS-N).

Scandella will be partnered with Nate Prosser, and Christian Folin will be the seventh defenseman as the Wild will use 11 forwards. Forward Brett Bulmer, recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League on Friday, will be a healthy scratch.

"It's not ideal," Wild coach Mike Yeo said of Scandella returning without practicing. He last played Nov. 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. "It's not the perfect situation but he's too valuable a player for us to sit around and not have him play. I'm not worried about his conditioning. Might take a little bit of time to get there but defending-wise he's too important to us to not be playing against this team."

Scandella has five points and a plus-3 rating in 13 games and averages 20:01 of ice time per game. He leads the Wild with 1:45 per game shorthanded.

DALLAS -- The Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars each head into their game Thursday at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-SW) seeking a bounce-back performance.

The Jets have lost two straight, including a 5-3 defeat against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, but coach Paul Maurice is sticking with goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. He was first off the ice at the morning skate and will start his third consecutive game.

"I like both goaltenders [Pavelec and Michael Hutchinson]," Maurice said. "I don't know that the final score has been any indication of how well the goalies have played. I'm comfortable with both. We thought our schedule allowed for [Pavelec] to get into some games here and get on a bit of a run."

DALLAS -- Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer will make a fifth straight start Tuesday in a game against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; FS-SW+, SNO).

Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock turns to Reimer looking to end Toronto's three-game losing streak.

"Well, I think he's playing more confident," Babcock said. "The other night in Washington, he didn't let any of those squeakers in. [Reimer] has played well for us. He's battled and I think as he's battled, he's looking more comfortable. The puck's sticking to him better. It's not coming off him all the time and that's a comfort thing, so good for him."

DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars look for their ninth win in 11 games when they host the San Jose Sharks at American Airlines Center on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; FS-SW, CSN-CA).

Dallas (8-2-0), which has equaled its best mark in franchise history through 10 games, practiced on Friday. Coach Lindy Ruff kept his lines intact from a 4-3 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

Ruff would like to see the Stars, 2-1-0 on their current home stand, not concede the first goal against the Sharks, something they have done in each of the past three games.