With the NHL trade deadline looming just a day away, the Dallas Stars are playing the waiting game – and winning plenty in the meantime. Firmly in the buyer’s seat with the third most points in NHL, the Stars (40-19-2, 82 points) will have to handle business on the ice Thursday against the Calgary Flames as Friday’s deadline nears.
How to watch: Puck drop at 7 p.m. from the AAC. Watch on Victory+ and listen to the radio call on The Ticket.
Dallas has won six-straight games at the AAC, where they are 23-6-1 on the season. Defenseman Thomas Harley scored the game winner with 4.8 seconds left on Tuesday as the Stars edged the Devils 4-3 for their 11th win in the last 14 contests. Center Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists, and Wyatt Johnston notched a goal after recording a hat trick in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Blues.
Calgary, meanwhile, arrives in Dallas with a -20 goal differential and middling momentum having lost three of their last four games. The Flames are still hanging around the playoff conversation and topped the Flyers on Tuesday night 6-3 behind two goals from Connor Zary.
Dallas Stars Lineup
Jason Robertson (21) – Roope Hintz (24) – Logan Stankoven (11)
Mason Marchment (27) – Matt Duchene (95) – Mikael Granlund (64)
Jamie Benn (14) – Wyatt Johnston (53) – Evgenii Dadonov (63)
Oskar Bäck (10) – Sam Steel (18) – Mavrik Bourque (22)
Thomas Harley (55) – Ilya Lyubushkin (46)
Esa Lindell (23) – Cody Ceci (44)
Lian Bichsel (6) – Matt Dumba (46)
Jake Oettinger (29)
Casey DeSmith (1)
Calgary Flames Lineup
Jonathan Huberdeau (10) – Nazem Kadri (91) – Connor Zary (47)
Joel Farabee (86) – Mikael Backlund (11) – Blake Coleman (20)
Yegor Sharangovich (17) – Morgan Frost (16) – Martin Pospisil (76)
Ryan Lomberg (70) – Kevin Rooney (21) – Matt Coronato (27)
Kevin Bahl (7) – Rasmus Andersson (4)
Joel Hanley (44) – MacKenzie Weegar (52)
Jake Bean (24) – Brayden Pachal (94)
Dustin Wolf (32)
Dan Vladar (80)
Players to watch
Stars forward Mikael Granlund
Granlund is still searching for his first goal wearing Victory Green – the man is due. Since his trade from the Sharks, the 33-year-old Finn has seven assists in nine games. He continues to see top-six minutes with Dallas, so it’s just a matter of time before he nets his first goal with the Stars.
Stars forward Roope Hintz
Hintz has three goals and 11 assists in his last five games, scoring a power-play goal last time out against the Devils while adding two assists. The Stars’ top-line centerman has 25 goals and 50 points on the season.
Flames forward Nazem Kadri
Kadri recorded a goal and an assist Tuesday in the Flames’ 6-3 win over the Flyers. Despite his team’s struggles offensively, the centerman has been on a decent point streak. Over his last 11 games, Kadri has five goals and 12 points.