The Dallas Stars will strive to get back in the win column when they play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
Dallas’ three-game winning streak ended in a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. The Stars had points in six straight entering the contest and are 6-3-1 in their past 10.
The Stars, tied for second in the Central Division, are 10-5-1 at home this season.
“We know what we can do. These guys all know the talent that they possess,” goaltender Scott Wedgewood said. “(In net) I’m going to give them everything I have — they can feel that. If I’ve got to make a save here or there for us to be a little bit aggressive and give up some odd-man rushes, I think they trust me, and I trust myself to do that, and it’s given us an opportunity to come back in some games.”
Wedgewood is 9-2-2 in 13 games this season with a 3.00 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.
Forward Roope Hintz has a goal and three assists during a four-game point streak. Center Matt Duchene has five goals and nine points over his last seven games, while Joe Pavelski has four assists in his last four.
Left winger Jason Robertson has a team-leading 32 points in 33 games this season, and Pavelski has paced the Stars with 13 goals in 33 games.
Chicago will try to pick up back-to-back wins on Friday for the first time since defeating Anaheim and St. Louis on Dec. 7 and 9.
The Blackhawks are 4-13-0 on the road this season and 4-6-0 in their past 10 games.
Chicago edged the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday thanks to a two-goal performance from rookie Connor Bedard. The 18-year-old picked up his first career overtime goal in the win and extended his season-long point streak to five games (three goals, five assists).
“I mean, he’s a good kid,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. “He really gets along with all his teammates, and he’s coachable. He listens and he asks questions, and obviously he’s trying to implement things like that into his game. He’s got a humble background. He’s a really good person. I don’t think he really wants all the attention, but he’s going to have to get used to it. It’s going to be there.”
Bedard leads the Blackhawks and all rookies with 15 goals and 32 points through 34 games.
Left winger Nick Foligno has four goals in his last five games.
“I think he really likes just going out and playing, and you can see when he celebrates a goal, he really enjoys it,” Richardson said of Bedard. “But when he gets to the bench, he’s not a guy who’s taunting the other bench or the other team or anything like that. He’s just all business and he’s ready to go back out and do it the next shift.”
Netminder Petr Mrazek is 9-11-0 with a 2.98 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 22 appearances this season.
–Field Level Media
