After two days of practice and some travel, the Dallas Stars get back at it tonight. This time they are on the road, taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.
Tonight's game kicks off a two-game road trip and a stretch that will see the Stars play five of their next six games away from home. The road has been bumpy this season for the Stars, who are 7-13-4 and allowing a league-high 3.71 goals per game away from home.
"Well, we have to play better defensively. There's a lot of good stuff inside the game that we've done, but again, defensively, we have to play better," said Stars coach Lindy Ruff.
The Stars are expected to make a couple of lineup changes tonight. Antti Niemi was the first goaltender off the ice this morning, so he is expected to get the start in goal. This will be the first start since Jan. 26 for Niemi, who has been pulled in each of his past three starts. In those three starts, he has allowed eleven goals on 36 shots for a .694 save percentage.
"It's something he'll work through," Ruff said about Niemi late last week. "For me, he's just got to go in there and play."
Antti Niemi in goal tonight against Toronto
Jiri Hudler returns to the lineup as Stars open two-game road trip
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