• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Stars aim to close gap on Ducks

Feb 23, 2007 - 4:16 PM Anaheim (35-16-10) at Dallas (35-21-3) 8:30 pm EST

DALLAS (Ticker) -- The Pacific Division race is tighter now because the Anaheim Ducks have been slumping, while the Dallas Stars are rolling.

The Stars try to close the gap further when they host the Ducks on Friday.

Dallas, which is 9-3-2 in its last 14 contests, trails Anaheim by seven points. The Ducks are 2-3-2 in their last seven.

Anaheim holds a 3-1-1 series lead, but Dallas won the last meeting, 1-0, on January 10. Jussi Jokinen scored and rookie goaltender Mike Smith made 32 saves. Smith is 3-1-0 in his last four appearances with four goals allowed.

The Stars absorbed their second loss in their last three games with a 2-1 setback in overtime at the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Netminder Marty Turco, who has just one win in his last five starts, finished with 38 saves.

The Ducks are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday despite goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere. He is 2-1-1 with a 1.12 goals-against average in four appearances against the Stars.

Anaheim right wing Teemu Selanne has 36 goals, tied for second-most in the league. He has points in four straight games. "The Finnish Flash" and has four goals and two assists against the Stars this season.