Gameday Preview: Dallas Stars Host Colorado Avalanche (7:30pm CDT)

by Brad Gardner on Sep 24, 2010 10:39 AM CDT in Dallas Stars Game Previews

Fans attending tonight's game at the American Airlines Center will be treated to a slightly more interesting (talented?) lineup tonight than on Tuesday, when the list of NHL players was a little on the small side. Tonight will feature the Stars top scoring line of a year ago and new one that has the potential to be a good third scoring option if things workout like the coaching staff hopes.

This is the first of three pre-season meetings with the Colorado Avalanche, who frequently opt to partner up with the Stars in exhibition play. The Stars were outplayed by the Lightning (prospects) in their pre-season debut on Tuesday night, losing 4-2 and getting out shot 31-19.

Tonight's (expected) lines

James Neal-Brad Richards-Loui Eriksson
Fabian Brunnstrom-Jamie Benn-Steve Ott
Jonathan Cheechoo-Aaron Gagnon-Brandon Segal
Luke Gazdic-Ondrej Roman-Colton Sceviour

Karlis Skrastins-Severin Blindenbacher
Nicklas Grossman-Stephane Robidas
Jeff Woywitka-Maxime Fortunus

With Richards, Robidas, Eriksson, Benn, Neal and Ott, tonight's power plays will resemble the real thing more-so than Tuesday nights' did. Dallas went 0-5 against the Lightning, including a 2-man advantage, but did manage to keep a clean sheet on the other end, killing all of the Tampa Bay power-plays.

Jonathan Cheechoo will be playing tonight, and Ribeiro and Morrow will not. Through one week of training camp and pre-season Cheechoo hasn't really "popped" like the Stars hoped he would. Tonight he'll get a chance to make impact next to Aaron Gagnon, who made quite an impression himself on Tuesday.

In Goal:

Kari Lehtonen
Richard Bachman

The battle for the backup job is put on hold tonight as Kari Lehtonen is expected to get his first full start of this new hockey season. Crawford has said that Lehtonen will get 3 full starts to make sure he's as ready as possible for the season opener on October 8th.

After talking to some folks out in Frisco yesterday, it's not totally inconceivable that this goaltender lineup could be the real thing when the season opens. While Krahn and Raycroft failed to distinguish themselves on Tuesday, Bachman has played very well in every practice and scrimmage of camp. With 3 of the remaining 5 pre-season games promised to Lehtonen, it will be hard to spread the minutes around to get a good look at all 3 of them, but thus far, Bachman seems to deserve a little consideration.

TV? Radio?

~~As far as I know, this game will not be broadcast in any form or fashion tonight~~.

Update: Never mind, apparently it will be on the radio here.

Your only (other) chance to catch it is to drive on down to the AAC, and follow ESPN Dallas on Twitter @andrewsdsp. (I won't be there tonight, but I'll be there tomorrow.)

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According to Starsfanatics via twitter

You can watch it online via the link they gave. I don’t know if it’s the NHL Gamecenter, or some other broadcast, so I chose not to post the link, but you can find it easliy enough on their twitter account.

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by Tsudbury on Sep 24, 2010 11:22 AM CDT reply actions

Video Broadcast?

Not seeing a link on their Twitter about a video broadcast. Was it there before or can I just not see it right in front of me?

by Eric Palmer on Sep 24, 2010 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Or maybe the link that does come up will have something on it at gametime. I will keep my eyes on it.

by Eric Palmer on Sep 24, 2010 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Cruisin' Oldies?

Seriously?

by Sugaa on Sep 24, 2010 11:26 AM CDT reply actions

That's what I said

But if they’ve got hockey later, then hey…

Defending Big D

by Brad Gardner on Sep 24, 2010 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Avs fan here...

Yeah, it’s pretty ridiculous, but it is the same calling crew as last year. They do a prety good job.

Winnik is a fucking Win!

by Sandie Gauthier on Sep 24, 2010 6:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Hopefully Cheechoo clicks with Gagnon, who has shown he doesn’t want to head back down to Austin. Really could use the right hand shot with Cheech.

by darksidecowboy on Sep 24, 2010 12:08 PM CDT reply actions

What's weird about that

Is Crow told us yesterday that he was going to play Cheechoo on the left side.

I wouldn’t hold your breath on Cheechoo at this point.

I wish there was a way Gagnon could easily make this team, but I don’t know. If he played outrageously good tonight…if they REALLY thought highly of him…There’s always the very slim chance that Benn could move back to wing and Gagnon could take one of the C positions, but…. It’s just a really, really, really long shot at this point.

Defending Big D

by Brad Gardner on Sep 24, 2010 12:13 PM CDT reply actions

What's weird about that

Is Crow told us yesterday that he was going to play Cheechoo on the left side.

I wouldn’t hold your breath on Cheechoo at this point.

Defending Big D

by Brad Gardner on Sep 24, 2010 12:13 PM CDT reply actions

Is there an echo in here???

by Cowpokealong on Sep 24, 2010 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm excited..

to see the game tonight. Hopefully it’ll have more people=more enthusiasm than Wed. night. I’m going to try and party 119 up tonight, but if it’s like Wed. I won’t hold my breath, bunch of stick in the mud peeps there.

by EyesOfDallas on Sep 24, 2010 1:07 PM CDT reply actions

Loui is out tonight.

According to AndrewsDSP on twitter. Sutherby will be getting the slot instead, but I don’t know if that means Sutherby will be playing on the top line (I highly doubt it!) or if they’re going to slip someone else in on the Neal-Richards line. Maybe we’ll be seeing Cheechoo up on the top line tonight? Either way, I’ll be seeing it live tonight! :) GO STARS!

by Taylor Baird on Sep 24, 2010 2:36 PM CDT reply actions

A bit of Info on the Avs.

We still don’t know who will be playing tonight.

Stewart (Stewie) #25 A big, though guy who had 64 points in 77 games (28 of thm being goals) isn’t afraid to get physical. Had 73 penalty minutes last year
Yip- nice, strong kid
Winnik – big kid, fourth line
O’Reilly- Pretty good player
Galiardi- was a monster agaisnt Vancouver during the playoffs last year. Wasn’t so hot during the regular season.
Jones- real quick, good, has fought off the injuries every year.
McLeod- Tough kid, has fought in the past, is chirpy.

Trying to make it
Dupuis – center – trying to get into the team. He played fairly well.
Holos- has a real shot of getting onto the team as a 7th D-man
Shattenkirk- another d-man who has a shot of making the team
Stoa- center
Luke Walker- fun name, trying let hell to get onto the team

The regulars…

Foote
Hejduk
Stastny
Duchene- has really good puck control, but had issues holding the puck last game
Liles- Defenseman
Hannan
Quincey- d-man, had a goal and assist last game
Wilson- Big kid, had concussion issues last year

Cumiskey- quick, he’s day to day. So I don’t know if he’ll be playing tonight.
David Koci- our “enforcer”- but he’s out with a jaw injury
Mueller- also injured, got another concussion last night.

think that’s about it. Enjoy the game.

Winnik is a fucking Win!

by Sandie Gauthier on Sep 24, 2010 6:44 PM CDT reply actions