Dallas Stars go to Toronto on two-game Canadian swing badly needing points

Stars at Maple Leafs

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Air Canada Centre, Toronto

TV: FSSW Plus Radio: KTCK/1310 AM and 96.7 FM

Records: Stars 21-22-10, 52 points; Maple Leafs, 24-17-9, 57 points

About the Stars: Dallas captured only six of a possible 12 points on a six-game homestand that overlapped the All-Stars break and have lost two straight, including 5-3 to Chicago on Saturday. Now the Stars go to Canada for games Tuesday in Toronto and Thursday in Ottawa. Dallas is a weak 7-13-4 on the road. ... Dallas entered Monday five points behind Calgary, which held the second wild-card spot in the West. ... Stars second-year forward Mattias Janmark, who has been out all season after preseason knee surgery, skated in full gear after Monday’s practice in Frisco, the Stars website reported. Janmark had knee surgery Sept. 30 to correct a joint disorder that caused his knee to lock up. His recovery was expected to take 5-6 months, with a possible return in April. ... Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, sidelined since Jan. 10, may be able to return against Ottawa, NHL.com Sean Shapiro reports. Forward Jason Spezza and defenseman Johnny Oduya will be out a while longer.

About the Maple Leafs: Toronto was stung 6-3 by the Stars on its trip to Dallas on Jan. 31, when the Stars scored five goals in the first period. The Leafs played the New York Islanders in Brooklyn on Monday night. Toronto entered Monday two points out of the second wild-card berh in the East and battling for the third-place playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. ... Rookie Auston Matthews (23 goals) ended a three-game points drought with three assists in a 6-5 win Saturday over Boston.

This story was originally published February 6, 2017 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Dallas Stars go to Toronto on two-game Canadian swing badly needing points."