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The most consistent line (consistently constructed, anyway) for the Dallas Stars this season, since nearly the day that Eric Nystrom was acquire in October, has been the Vernon Fiddler "third" line. Now it's in ruins as injuries finally strike that trio.
Eric Nystrom was cut with a skate in the leg on Monday in Calgary and will miss his first game (I am pretty sure. He has 71 played...) this season since entering the lineup after the trade from Minnesota. This is the second time the Flames have cut a Dallas Stars in the leg this season. Radek Dvorak is nursing his ankle and will sit out his second straight contest.
Meaning that a huge chunk of pretty important minutes will go to a relatively new line: Brenden Morrow-Vernon Fiddler-Tomas Vincour.
That line was constructed late in the second period or early in the third on Monday night and according to Josh's scoring chance report they neither gave up a scoring chance or generated one, though part or all of that trio were in the defensive zone for a very, very long time on the shift when Tomas Vincour took a puck to the forearm and had to play with one hand.
Lines will shake out like this according to Mike Heika:
Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Burish
Morrow-Fiddler-Vincour
Garbutt-Wandell-Smith
Dallas prospect Reilly Smith is scheduled to make his NHL debut in a limited capacity tonight.
Joe Nieuwendyk hinted on The Ticket with Bob and Dan a short time ago that the Stars will try to get Jamie Benn more ice tonight, and that it could benefit Smith as an ancillary benefit.
"Im sure we'll see Jamie Benn move around the lineup so he'll [Reilly Smith] get an opportunity to play with some different players."
There are no changes on the defense, and Kari Lehtonen will be in net.