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Ducks-Stars Preview

Apr 7, 2010 - 5:08 PM By JUSTIN EINHORN STATS Senior Editor

Anaheim (38-31-10) at Dallas (35-31-14), 8:30 p.m. EDT

About this time two years ago, the Anaheim Ducks were set to begin their Stanley Cup title defense against the Dallas Stars.

Neither team has to worry about any such preparations this year.

The only two Pacific Division clubs not headed to the playoffs will meet Thursday night with the Ducks looking to spoil the Stars' final home game of the season.

If Anaheim (38-31-10) wins, that would assure Dallas (35-31-14) of its first last-place finish in a division since 1995-96 when it was part of the Central.

Both clubs were eliminated from the playoff race this week. The Ducks, less than three years removed from winning the Stanley Cup, failed to qualify for the first time since 2004. The Stars defeated Anaheim in the opening round in 2008 en route to the Western Conference finals, but now have failed to make the playoffs in back-to-back years.

"It's been a tough year," Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer said. "We're disappointed that we're in this situation. We're not happy at all."

Anaheim was officially ousted from the postseason chase Tuesday, when it blew a three-goal lead in a 5-4 shootout loss to Los Angeles. The Kings became the third Pacific team to make the playoffs, joining San Jose and Phoenix.

"We knew it was a longshot to make the playoffs, but we still wanted to play well," winger Teemu Selanne said.

Selanne scored twice to give him five goals in the last four games and 605 for his career. With three games left in what he expects to be his final NHL season, Selanne is three goals shy of Dino Ciccarelli for 16th place all-time.

He's scored once in his last 11 games against the Stars.

The Ducks have averaged only 1.7 goals in losing nine of 12 at Dallas, dropping both meetings there this season.

Anaheim, though, has been playing fairly well, going 8-2-2 in their last 12 and winning three straight on the road.

Dallas was on a 5-2-1 surge before dropping its last two, including a 5-2 home loss to Chicago on Tuesday.

"We looked like a team that had been eliminated from the playoffs," coach Marc Crawford said.

The defeat dropped the Stars to 22-11-7 at American Airlines Center entering their home finale.

This could be the home crowd's last chance to say goodbye to Marty Turco, who may be playing his final game in a Stars uniform. It appears likely the veteran netminder will be moving to a different team in the offseason after spending his first nine NHL seasons with Dallas and becoming the Stars' all-time leader with 261 wins and 40 shutouts.

Stars forward Brad Richards has 91 points and needs three in the final two games to break Mike Modano's single-season club record since the team moved to Dallas in 1993. Richards has three goals and six assists during a six-game point streak.