The Dallas Stars head into Buffalo on Thursday looking to build on a much-needed bounce-back and do it against a Sabres team that has already shown some fight despite a long injury list.
Dallas opened the season with two losses and a 6-1 deficit in those games, but the tone changed fast in Game 3. The Stars rolled past the San Jose Sharks 5-0, and now they get a short two-game road trip started against a Buffalo club that may be without Josh Doan, Jason Zucker, and Connor Timmins.
Buffalo hasn’t exactly folded through the early stretch. After dropping its opener to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sabres responded with wins over the Chicago Blackhawks and then an overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
Still, the recent history in this matchup tilts strongly toward Dallas. The Stars have taken seven of the last 10 meetings and 17 of the last 24 against Buffalo.
There’s also a spotlight on a few Dallas forwards who are searching for a spark, starting with Tyler Seguin. The veteran winger is still working back from the ACL injury that ended his season last year, and he has not recorded a point yet this season. His track record against Buffalo is solid - 19 points in 21 career games - but he’s been quiet lately in this matchup, with points in just two of his last five games against the Sabres.
Mikko Rantanen is another name worth watching. He’s piled up 23 points, including nine goals and 14 assists, in 18 career games against Buffalo. But since arriving in Dallas, he has been held off the scoresheet in both of his games against the Sabres.
Dallas’ expected lineup Thursday also includes Wyatt Johnston, who is still looking for his first goal of the season, on a top line with Sam Steel and Rantanen. The rest of the forward groups are projected as Jason Robertson with Roope Hintz and Jamie Benn, Mavrik Hryckowian with Radek Faksa and Colin Blackwell, and Brendan Smith?
No - the listed fourth line is Colin Blackwell? Actually the source lists Back - Faksa - Blackwell.
On the blue line, the expected pairings are Esa Lindell with Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley with Nils Lundkvist, and Lian Bichsel with Colin? No - the source lists Bichsel with Myers. Jake Oettinger is expected to start in goal.
Dallas’ expected line combinations vs. Buffalo:
Steel - Johnston - Rantanen Robertson - Hintz - Benn
Hryckowian - Hyry - Seguin Back - Faksa - Blackwell
Lindell - Heiskanen Harley - Lundkvist Bichsel - Myers
Oettinger
In Other News...
Ducks Blue Line Nears A Boost As One Return Still Waits
The Ducks are getting closer to having a fuller blue line again, with Drew Helleson on track to travel with the team on its upcoming road trip after missing the start of the regular season with a lower-body injury. The hope is that he could be available against Calgary, a potential lift for an Anaheim defense that has had to wait a little longer for stability, especially with Ian Moore still not ready to come off injured reserve.
For the Stars, the roster watch has shifted to Joel Kiviranta, who is dealing with an injury and may be out for roughly a week after taking the shot block that knocked him out. Dallas could be forced to manage a short-term hole if the absence lingers, and an injured reserve move is at least on the table if the timeline stretches, which would give the club a way to create the roster space it needs. [Read more 🡒]
Jamie Benn Chases A Major Stars Milestone In Buffalo Reset
The Stars head into Thursdays visit to Buffalo looking for a clean early-season reset, and the matchup at KeyBank Center carries a little extra weight because it is their first against an Eastern Conference opponent this season. Dallas has already had time to settle into the opening stretch, but games like this can help set the tone for how quickly a team finds its footing on the road, especially against a Sabres club that has shown it can make things interesting in tight games.
Jamie Benn adds another layer to the trip, with the longtime captain closing in on a major career milestone as the Stars continue to lean on their veteran core. Buffalo, meanwhile, brings its own momentum into the night, with Owen Power coming off a productive stretch and the Sabres arriving after an overtime win Tuesday, giving this one a little more bite than a standard early-October stop. [Read more 🡒]