Stars at Maple Leafs preview
Dallas forward Cogliano to play 1,000th NHL game; Toronto goalie Andersen back from injury
by Dave McCarthy / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
STARS (32-19-5) at MAPLE LEAFS (30-19-8)
7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNO, FS-SW, NHL.TV
The Game
Frederik Andersen will return for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they play the Dallas Stars at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
The goalie missed four games with a neck injury sustained in a 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Feb. 3.
Toronto is 5-2-1 in its past eight games and two points ahead of the Florida Panthers for third in the Atlantic Division.
Goalie Ben Bishop will start for the Stars, who are 4-1-1 in their past six games after a 1-3-0 skid. They trail the Colorado Avalanche by three points for second in the Central Division.
Dallas forward Andrew Cogliano will play his 1,000th NHL game.
Players to watch
Stars forward Jamie Benn had a hat trick in a 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. He is one goal from 300 in the NHL.
Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman has four points (two goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak and 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in his past 28 games.
They said it
"Luck was on my side. I like to think how I approach the game and wanting to be in the lineup every night, and someone contributes every night, played a role into me getting to 1,000. I've always taken a liking to nutrition and the physical side of the game, so I think all of that combined into one gave me an opportunity to get to this point." -- Stars forward Andrew Cogliano
"I've been feeling good. I've been patient with the injury, and I feel ready to go again. It was a nice little process to make sure we looked at the things we needed to and to get ready to play." -- Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen
Stars projected lineup
Roope Hintz -- Tyler Seguin -- Corey Perry
Jamie Benn -- Jason Dickinson -- Denis Gurianov
Joel Kiviranta -- Mattias Janmark -- Jason Robertson
Andrew Cogliano - Radek Faksa -- Blake Comeau
Esa Lindell -- John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen -- Stephen Johns
Jamie Oleksiak -- Roman Polak
Ben Bishop
Anton Khudobin
Scratched: Taylor Fedun, Andrej Sekera
Injured: Martin Hanzal (back), Joe Pavelski (undisclosed), Alexander Radulov (upper body)
Maple Leafs projected lineup
William Nylander -- Auston Matthews -- Mitchell Marner
Alexander Kerfoot -- John Tavares -- Zach Hyman
Andreas Johnsson -- Jason Spezza -- Kasperi Kapanen
Kyle Clifford -- Pierre Engvall -- Pontus Aberg
Travis Dermott -- Tyson Barrie
Jake Muzzin -- Justin Holl
Rasmus Sandin -- Timothy Liljegren
Frederik Andersen
Jack Campbell
Scratched: Dmytro Timashov, Martin Marincin, Frederik Gauthier
Injured: Ilya Mikheyev (wrist laceration), Morgan Rielly (fractured foot), Cody Ceci (ankle)
Status report
Robertson was recalled from Texas of the American Hockey League after Radulov, a forward, was placed on injured reserve. ... Pavelski is day to day. Stars coach Rick Bowness hopes to have the forward back by the weekend. ... The Maple Leafs are expected to use the same 18 skaters from their 3-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.
Stat pack
Seguin is without a goal in 17 games since Dec. 28. ... Polak will play his 800th NHL game. ... Tavares has eight points (five goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak.