Bishop remains day-to-day for Stars with upper-body injury

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas -- The Dallas Stars will continue to ride Anton Khudobin in goal as they open a three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators (7:30 p.m. CT; FS-SW; KTCK).
Khudobin will make his sixth straight start with Ben Bishop still sidelined by an upper-body injury.
Bishop, who has not played since suffering the injury in the Feb. 4 game against Arizona at American Airlines Center, did not practice Monday with the team in Farmers Branch. He was off the ice Sunday as well.
"He went and got evaluated by our local doctors, and the feedback was just a couple more days rest would be more beneficial than practicing," said Stars coach Jim Montgomery.

Right now, Bishop is considered day-to-day.
"I've been saying day to day it seems like for 10 days," Montgomery said. "Right now, we just know he is out (Tuesday), questionable for Thursday, probable for Saturday is what we think."
Montgomery said there is no concern that Bishop's injury could linger for the rest of the season.
"There is no concern at all," he said. "We just don't want it to linger, and that's why we are being very cautious with it. Dobby gives us the ability to be cautious with it."
Despite experiencing some bumps during the Stars' recent 1-3-1 road trip, Khudobin still ranks eighth in the league in save percentage (.921) and ninth in goals against average (2.52). He's 2-0-1 vs. Nashville, Tuesday's opponent, with a 1.33 goals against average and .964 save percentage.

Comeau out vs. Preds, still day-to-day

Forward Blake Comeau, who has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, did not practice Monday. He is out for Tuesday's game and is listed as day to day.
Defenseman John Klingberg and forward Mattias Janmark both did not practice Monday. It was a maintenance day for both players, who are both expected to play Tuesday.
"Just a little sore so we thought another day off is better," Montgomery said. "They'll have the morning skate tomorrow to get ready. Both players tomorrow night."
Montgomery said he and his staff would discuss whether to go with the 11 forwards, seven defensemen configuration the team used for the third time this season in Saturday's game at Carolina.
"The ability to get our best players on the ice the most often right now is the most important thing," Montgomery said. "Whether 12-6 or 11-7 does that, we'll have to make a decision tomorrow."
On Saturday, though, the decision to go 11-7 was based largely on the fact that Klingberg was dinged up and there was concern about how much he would be able to play. It turned out to be not much of a concern. Klingberg logged a team-high 26:27 of ice time in the game and Connor Carrick, who dressed as the seventh defenseman, played just 1:33, none after the first period.
"The way [Klingberg] played so well Saturday, I think it is in the past, but him being off the ice today it gives you a little bit of concern maybe we still should use seven," Montgomery said. "And that's why we did the seven D because we didn't know if [Klingberg] would get through the game."

Attention to detail

The Stars practiced for about an hour Monday morning before a good crowd at the Children's Health StarCenter Farmers Branch. Coming off the 1-3-1 road trip and back-to-back shutout losses, Montgomery discussed the focus of today's session in his media availability.
"It was more about getting back to practicing the way we need to," he said. "Working on some details that have eroded a little, but not much. Our effort in all of our games we've been very happy with, it's more our puck execution we're trying to build upon."

Line shuffling

There was some line juggling in Monday's practice.
Roope Hintz moved onto a line with Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov. That trio was effective in the 3-0 win over Florida during the road trip. Jamie Benn skated with Radek Faksa. Those two have clicked recently. With Comeau still out and Janmark taking a maintenance day, the Stars had only 11 forwards at practice, so defenseman Julius Honka skated as the right wing with Benn and Faksa.
The other forward lines were Andrew Cogliano-Joel L'Esperance-Brett Ritchie and Valeri Nichushkin-Jason Dickinson-Jason Spezza. Carrick skated in Klingberg's spot on the top defense pair with Esa Lindell.
The other defense pairs of Miro Heiskanen-Roman Polak and Jamie Oleksiak-Taylor Fedun stayed intact.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.