Game Day Guide: Stars vs Avalanche

Game 37: Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche

When: Thursday, January 4 at 7:00 PM CT

Where: American Airlines Center

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM

Live Stats: NHL Game Center

Five Points 5️⃣

• The Dallas Stars face the Colorado Avalanche at American Airlines Center on Thursday night for the second of four meetings between the clubs this season. Entering Thursday's match up, the Stars have won seven of their last 12 games (7-4-1) against the Avalanche.
• The teams opened the season series on Nov. 18, when the Stars were defeated by the Avalanche, 6-3. The Stars went 1-for-4 (25.0%) on the power play and 3-for-4 (75.0%) on the penalty kill. Forwards Tyler Seguin (2-0--2) and Mason Marchment (0-2--2) each tallied two points, while forward Joe Pavelski added a goal (1-0--1) recorded a multi-point performance with two goals (2-0--2) that game.
• Pavelski has a four-game goal streak (4-1--5) against Colorado and has nine points (6-3--9) in his last six games against them. He leads current Stars skaters with 46 points (22-24--46) in 54 career games against the Avalanche.
• Forward Jason Robertson has been held off the scoresheet only once in eight career games against Colorado. He has earned a total of 12 points (5-7--12) against Colorado, including seven points (4-3--7) in five games at home.
• Forward Matt Duchene has point in each of his last three (2-1–3) games against Colorado, as well as 11 goals and 13 points (11-2–13) in his last 11 games against them. Selected by the Avalanche in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Duchene played for Colorado from 2009-17 and recorded 428 points (178-250--428) in 586 games over nine seasons.

Players To Watch 👀

Captain Jamie Benn opened the scoring Tuesday night against Montreal with a goal (1-0--1) 11 seconds after the opening faceoff. The goal marked the sixth fastest goal to start a game in franchise history, and Benn, with seven opening-minute goals in his career, ranks second in franchise history. Through 36 games this season, the 34-year old ranks sixth on the club with 17 assists and eighth with 24 points (7-17--24). Among league leaders (skater takes at least 15% of team's draws), he ranks second with 62.7% faceoff win percentage (205-for-327), and he leads Stars forwards with 32 hits.