The Dallas Stars begin a three-game trip Saturday looking to rise in the crowded Western Conference standings. The Stars, 4-1-2 in their past seven games, are 12th in the conference with 40 points, five behind the St. Louis Blues for third place in the Central Division and three behind the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the conference. "We're lucky we're not really playing catch-up because we're in a group of maybe five teams fighting for two spots," center Jason Spezza said. "If anything, we've got a chance to play good hockey here down the stretch and reward ourselves going into the playoffs playing good hockey. This is a big game for us. It's the last time we see these guys, so we can close the gap to three points, or if they win, they open it up to seven, which becomes difficult." The Stars will be without forward Jamie Benn (foot) for a second straight game, and he is not expected to play in the remaining road games on the trip, at the Los Angeles Kings on Monday or at the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. Benn did skate Saturday morning. "We miss his presence, from whether it's a threat to score a goal or whether a threat to play physical," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Jamie can play the game a lot of different ways." Goaltender Kari Lehtonen will make his fifth straight start, sixth straight appearance.
