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Stars-Ducks Preview

Oct 21, 2009 - 5:28 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Dallas (3-2-3) at Anaheim (3-3-1), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Anaheim Ducks are coming off their most lopsided home loss in nearly two years. Improved play with the man advantage could help them get back on track.

The Ducks look to snap a four-game power play drought as they continue a six-game homestand Wednesday night against the Pacific Division rival Dallas Stars.

Anaheim (3-3-1) fell 5-0 against St. Louis on Saturday night, suffering its worst home defeat since a 5-0 loss to Dallas on Nov. 5, 2007.

The Ducks' struggles on the power play were part of the problem against the Blues. They went 0 for 5, including three missed opportunities in the first period.

"We had those power plays early that we didn't capitalize on, from there they took the game over," Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer said. "We didn't really have an answer, we weren't mentally strong to push through things."

Anaheim was tied for fourth in the NHL last season with a 23.6 conversion percentage on the power play, but it's near the bottom of the league at 14.3 percent (4 for 28) this season. The Ducks are 0 for 17 with the man advantage in their last four games and 1 for 16 at home this season.

"As always, special teams are a challenge to get humming at 100 percent-plus," coach Randy Carlyle told the Ducks' official Web site. "That is what you'd like and what we have to continue to work on. We put time and effort into specialty teams. We're just not getting the desired result yet."

Neither has Dallas. The Stars (3-2-3) have gone 0 for 12 on the power play in their last three contests, including an 0-for-4 performance in a 4-1 loss to Los Angeles on Monday night.

Rookie Jamie Benn scored his second goal of the season to give the Stars a 1-0 first-period lead against the Kings, but Dallas was outshot 18-4 and outscored 3-0 in the second.

Dallas, which has dropped its last two home games by a combined 7-1, hopes to rebound on the road, where it's 2-0-2.

"After losing two at home in a row, yeah, it's a good time to go on the road," captain Brenden Morrow said. "We really want to be a good hockey team at home, but sometimes getting on the road and having a little bonding trip isn't a bad thing."

The Stars, though, will be without Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen, who were both placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Modano hasn't played since hurting his ribs in the season opener Oct. 3, and Lehtinen has been out since Oct. 14 with a groin injury.

"You can't look at who's not in the lineup and what's going on...you've got to control what you can control," defenseman Stephane Robidas said.

Stars center Brad Richards, tied with Morrow with a team-high nine points, is questionable Wednesday after missing Monday's game with a strained groin. Richards had two goals and two assists in three games versus the Ducks in 2008-09.

Stars goalie Marty Turco is 3-0-2 with a 2.14 GAA in his last five starts in Anaheim.

Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller was pulled Saturday after giving up three goals on 12 shots. He was 2-0-0 with a 1.83 GAA in three games - two starts - against the Stars last season.

Anaheim went 3-2-1 against Dallas last season, including 1-2-0 at home.