Time to respond: Stars in need of slump-busting win against Hurricanes

Stars (5-3-3, 13 points) vs. Hurricanes (8-3-0, 16 points)

DALLAS --The Stars are in a slump.
While the actual record of 1-3-3 gives them five points in seven games, the bottom line is they are losing points to teams within their division. That could be crucial when it comes to deciding who makes the playoffs.
Right now, the Stars are in the mix with Carolina, Chicago and Columbus. You can speculate that if Tampa Bay and Florida continue to play well, two of those four bubble teams will make the post-season and two will not. That's a pretty early supposition, but if it can provide motivation for this team, than so be it.
Dallas has lost its first three games in the eight-game season series with the Hurricanes, so getting a win tonight would be a pretty important thing.
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"Obviously, we're desperate for a win here, and we know that going into the game," said veteran Blake Comeau.
Now, Comeau added that the team can't panic, and that it has to look at some recent games where it has actually played well and simply not gotten the win.
"There are going to be times throughout the season where you play well enough to win but you don't get the win. We know it's a results-based league and we have to start producing some wins," he said. "We did a lot of good things last game. There are a couple of other things that we need to clean up, but I thought we played hard, so we're not getting too far down on ourselves around here."
Carolina ranks third in the NHL in fewest shots on goal against per game at 26.3 and the Stars fired 37 on net Thursday in a 5-3 loss. Dallas also drew five power plays (scoring on one) and laid out 39 hits. Stars coach Rick Bowness said goalie coach Jeff Reese recorded 23 scoring chances, which were the most this season for Dallas.

"We have to continue to do some of the good things we've been doing," Bowness said. "That's a good hockey club, they don't give up very much, and we generated a lot of offense. But it's the same ol' story: You've got to find a way to put the puck in the net."
The Stars are working on that, and at the same time trying not to get frustrated. The old adage of "gripping your stick too tightly" is something they have to work hard to avoid.
"It's frustrating, so being able to forget and move on quickly is huge," said forward Jason Dickinson. "You've got to be able to handle things shift to shift and even second to second. Hockey is a tough sport."
But this group has a history of handling those tough times.
"We have a veteran team, we went through a lot last year in the bubble last year, and we've seen that there are going to be ups and downs at certain times," Comeau said. "It's all how you respond."

Oettinger back in net for Dallas

Jake Oettinger will get his third start in four games tonight.
Oettinger was given a start against Chicago when Anton Khudobin was late for practice and suspended one game. He was so good that he earned a second start when Khudobin returned. Oettinger lost both games in overtime, 2-1, and stopped 60 of 64 shots.
Khudobin returned Thursday against Carolina and allowed four goals on 32 shots. He is 0-3-1 in his past four starts with a 4.25 GAA and .866 save percentage.
Bowness said he knows Oettinger will be needed, especially with the team having a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday.
"We've got a lot of hockey coming up, so it's important we get him back in the net when he's feeling really good about himself," Bowness said.

Dowling could return to lineup

In addition to Oettinger getting the start, it looks like Justin Dowling could draw back in. Nick Caamano would come out and Dowling would jump in, possibly on a wing.
Bowness moved Dickinson onto the checking line in place of Radek Faksa, so that's something to watch tonight. Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz each had maintenance days Friday, but both are expected to play tonight.
Alexander Radulov still is out with a lower-body injury. He will miss his fourth consecutive game tonight.

By the numbers

5

The Stars have scored first in just five of their 11 games. They are 4-0-1 in games where they score first. Carolina has scored first in eight of its 11 games and is 7-1-0 in those games.

67

Hintz won 67 percent (12-of-18) of his draws Thursday against Carolina. Hintz now has taken 132 faceoffs (second only to Pavelski on the team) and has won 48.5 percent. Hintz took 172 total draws last season in 60 games and won 49.9 percent.

61.9

Carolina center Jordan Staal has won 61.9 percent of his faceoffs. Among players with more than 100 faceoffs, Staal ranks third in the NHL. He won 71 percent (20-of-28) of his draws on Thursday

He said it

"Those things happen when you're finding ways to lose and not finding ways to win. Offensively, we have to keep doing what we're doing. The power play has to be better, the PK can't keep giving up a goal a game, so it's those little things that are costing us right now." -- Bowness on how Dallas can climb out of its current slump

Stars projected lineup

Jamie Benn - Joe Pavelski - Joel Kiviranta
Jason Robertson - Roope Hintz - Denis Gurianov
Andrew Cogliano - Radek Faksa - Blake Comeau
Justin Dowling - Jason Dickinson - Ty Dellandrea
Esa Lindell - John Klingberg
Jamie Oleksiak - Miro Heiskanen
Andrej Sekera - Mark Pysyk
Jake Oettinger
Anton Khudobin
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.