No welcome mat waiting for Dallas Stars on last road trip

Stars at Kings

3 p.m. Saturday, Staples Center, Los Angeles

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

About the Stars: The final road trip of the regular season won’t be a picnic for Dallas, which is on a three-game win streak and is 9-2-2 in its past 13 games. The Stars play back-to-back games against the top two teams in the Pacific Division, Saturday at the Los Angeles Kings and Sunday at the Anaheim Ducks. The Stars maintain a two-point lead over St. Louis, which lost Friday against Boston. Center Tyler Seguin, who sliced his Achilles’ tendon on March 17, is expected to start skating in the next few days but isn’t likely to play until the postseason, coach Lindy Ruff told the team’s website. Ales Hemsky’s two assists in Thursday’s win over Arizona extended the forward’s points streak to six games. Patrick Sharp’s empty-net goal against the Coyotes was the Stars’ 23rd of the season, an NHL record. Jamie Benn, who led the NHL in points last season, notched his 40th goal of the season, the first Stars player to reach that mark since Mike Modano in 1993-94.

About the Kings: Los Angeles has won both games against the Stars this season, including a 5-2 pounding in Dallas less than three weeks ago. The Kings have not won on the road in the four games since that March 15 meeting, but they haven’t lost in their four home games since, either. LA shut out Calgary 3-0 on Thursday for just the Kings’ second victory in their last six games. But it was enough to slip a point past Anaheim back atop the Pacific Division. Jeff Carter had two goals and an assist. He has four goals in his past three games after enduring an eight-game goal drought. Goalie Jonathan Quick turned in his fifth shutout of the season and 42nd of his career. It was his 39th win this season, tying the franchise record.

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 9:29 PM with the headline "No welcome mat waiting for Dallas Stars on last road trip."