The Dallas Stars will visit the Minnesota Wild in a pivotal Western Conference matchup that pits two teams on the fringe of the playoffs, and both starving for points.
The Stars (50 points) trail the Wild by a single point in the standings, and both are within striking distance of the Colorado Avalanche, who maintain a loose grip on the final playoff spot with 52 points.
Saturday marks the first of four regular season matchups between the Stars and the Wild, and the first of two in a week, as they'll rematch next Saturday in Dallas.
The Stars have lost four straight games, and eight of 12 overall dating back to their final game before Christmas. It's been an offensive struggle for the Stars, who have scored more than three goals just twice during that streak, and they'll face a Minnesota team that surrenders the eighth fewest goals per game in the NHL.
Face-off is set for 8:00 PM CST at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota, and can be seen locally on TXA 21.