The Dallas Stars just visited Nationwide Arena and the Columbus Blue Jackets six short days ago, on the last stop of their eastern road trip. While some things had started working out for them on that trip, either the tough road schedule or the fact that it was a second game of a back-to-back wore heavily on the Stars, as they lost 4-1 to the Blue Jackets that evening.
They are surely hoping to get those points back tonight, but might be hampered by their defensive roster. Saturday’s day game featured four players with 22 or fewer NHL games under their belts and was, in fact, the debut for defensive prospect Benjamin Gleason, who ended the night with an assist.
The effort against the Nashville Predators was especially impressive for this reason, even as it was frustrating for Stars fans to watch the team squander a two-goal lead in the third period.
The Blue Jackets are 9-6-1 on the season, 5-2-1 on the road, and as of Monday, hold on to the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. Saturday night in Columbus, Joonas Korpisalo was in net for the Blue Jackets as they went toe-to-toe with the New York Rangers. This is a quick trip for the Blue Jackets, who are back home in Columbus Thursday to take on the Florida Panthers.
Dallas Stars
The Stars will have Alexander Radulov back in the lineup against Columbus. Radulov missed 10 of the last 11 games due to a lower body injury. Chances are good that Brett Ritchie will be back in the line up as well, who missed four games due to an upper body infection. Roman Polak may be cleared as well, though as of Sunday evening, that hasn’t been confirmed.
If Polak does not draw in, the Stars will need to recall a defenseman, as they have already reassigned Dillon Heatherington to the Texas Stars. They still have Joel Hanley and Ben Gleason, who both had a great debut game against the Predators to make up for missing the other four defenseman who are currently on the injured list.
Stars have not released a lineup yet, check for updates after morning practice.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are coming off a Saturday overtime loss of their own to the New York Rangers. Cam Atkinson and Pierre-Luc Dubois both picked up their seventh goals of the season.
Anthony Duclair will be coming in with something to prove to himself and coach John Tortorella. Duclair spent much of the third period on the Blue Jackets’ bench. Tortorella called out his third line of Duclair, Alexander Wennberg, and Oliver Bjorkstrand for not checking enough during Saturday night’s game.
Look for updates on the lineup during pre-game skate.
Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be on FSSW+.