Stars close out holiday homestand against Atlantic-leading Canadiens
Canadiens at Stars
7 p.m. Wednesday, American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: FSSW
Radio: KTCK/1310 AM and 96.7 FM
Records: Canadiens 23-9-6, 52 points; Stars 16-15-7, 39 pts.
About the Canadiens: Montreal is in the middle of a run of seven consecutive road games and nine of 10 away from home. They are 2-1-2 with four consecutive overtime games on the trip following a 2-1 win in OT at Nashville on Tuesday night. After missing all but 12 games last season with a knee injury, goalie Carey Price has rebounded well. He is among the league’s top 10 in wins (18), save percent (.930), goals-against average (2.07) and shutouts (2). As the leading All-Star Game vote-getter in the Atlantic Division, Price will be one of four captains in Los Angeles at the end of the month. Left wing Max Pacioretty leads the Canadiens in goals (16) and points (31) but could be limited after taking a shot off his right foot Tuesday morning and having to be helped off the ice. He came back Tuesday night and played 21 minutes and scored the winner in overtime. Defenseman Shea Weber, acquired in an off-season trade with Nashville for P.K. Subban, had 13 points in his first 16 games but was limited to just two assists in a 14-game stretch from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
About the Stars: Their “home for the holidays” stretch ends Wednesday against Montreal. The Stars conclude a three-game homestand and their run of eight of nine games at the AAC. They are 5-2-1 so far. The first-place Canadiens make their only visit to Dallas this season. The Stars will be short-handed as captain Jamie Benn has been ruled out after suffering a foot injury in Saturday’s loss to Florida. Benn got a stick caught in his skate and went awkwardly to the ice. He returned, though, and played the rest of the game. Benn has not missed a game due to injury since March 2013. The return of left wing Antoine Roussel could come as early as Wednesday. Roussel has been sidelined since Dec. 20 with an upper body injury.
This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Stars close out holiday homestand against Atlantic-leading Canadiens."