(Sports Network) - Both the Predators and Stars have played in their fair share of games past regulation already this season, but only Dallas has had success beyond 65 minutes.
Dallas will try to deal Nashville a fourth straight setback this evening when the two clubs clash at American Airlines Center.
The Stars are off to a 5-1-0 start, winning their first four games of the season and taking three of those games past regulation. After suffering their first loss of the season on Monday, the Stars rebounded with a 4-1 road triumph over the Panthers.
Kari Lehtonen made 27 saves, Tom Wandell scored twice and James Neal lit the lamp for a fourth game in a row. Steve Ott also had a goal and Jamie Benn notched three assists after missing the previous three games due to concussion-like symptoms.
"Tremendous performance tonight," stated Stars head coach Marc Crawford.
About the only thing that went wrong for the Stars was forward Brad Richards failing to record a point for the first time in six games this season.
Lehtonen should get the call again tonight as he is 3-0-0 with a 1.95 goals- against average in his career versus the Preds, while Neal has a pair of goals and six assists in eight games against them.
Nashville will try to halt its current losing streak that features three straight overtime losses since the club started the season with three wins in a row. All told, the Predators' last five games have been decided by just one goal, including Thursday's 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
Patric Hornqvist had a third-period tally to put Nashville in front, but the Penguins' Sidney Crosby had the equalizer with 7:04 left in the frame before Kris Letang beat Pekka Rinne, who made 34 saves, with 1:11 remaining in OT.
"The third period, I don't know if we got a little bit tired, but they kind of got the momentum and they had a little bit more chances," Rinne said. "They took advantage of that and scored a couple goals."
David Legwand and Cody Franson also scored for Preds, while Martin Erat added two assists.
The Predators and Stars have split their four-game series in each of the previous two seasons, though Nashville has lost three of four and 10 of its last 13 in Dallas.
Rinne is 1-1-0 with a 2.79 GAA in his career when facing the Stars.