• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Stars-Panthers Preview

Oct 20, 2010 - 10:04 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Dallas (4-1-0) at Florida (2-2-0), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Off to their best start in four seasons, the Dallas Stars are still trying to figure out how to kill penalties consistently. The Florida Panthers have been flawless in that area.

The Stars will try to rebound from their first loss of the season Thursday as they visit the well-rested Panthers, who have a chance to post three consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history.

This is the best start for Dallas (4-1-0) since it won its first five games in 2006-07. The Stars had a chance to match that feat Monday, but yielded four power-play goals in five opportunities en route to a 5-4 loss at Tampa Bay.

The Stars have allowed a league-high 10 power-play goals already, successfully killing off only 15 penalties.

"You usually win or lose the games with special teams," Kari Lehtonen told the Stars' official website after turning away 39 of 44 shots. "We have to figure that out. It's still early but it seems like we are not really sharp on the PK. I have to work harder to see the shots and not give bad rebounds like I did at least once today. Just need to clean things up a bit, and I think we're going to be fine."

Dallas may be able to mount a more effective penalty kill against the Panthers (2-2-0), who are 1 for 15 with the man advantage. Florida, though, has also killed all eight of its opponents' power plays, with newcomers Marty Reasoner and Mike Weaver keying the success.

"I think everybody has got a feeling for each other," Weaver told the Panthers' official website. "We have a game plan for a game and everybody is executing it. It's great to have a goalie back there that's able to make the key saves."

Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun, who has started all four games this season, has made 56 saves while posting consecutive shutouts. Vokoun, 6-17-1 with a 2.54 goals-against average in 24 career starts against Dallas, recorded his 40th career shutout Saturday with 29 saves in a 6-0 home win over Tampa Bay.

It was Florida's most lopsided victory since a 7-1 rout at the New York Islanders on Dec. 14.

"That's about as good as it gets," said coach Peter DeBoer, whose team won 3-0 against Calgary last Thursday to salvage one victory on a three-game trip to open the season. "A good crowd, entertaining game, it was just what the doctor ordered for us coming off the road."

Looking to close their two-game swing through Florida on a positive note, the Stars will try to increase their production in front of the net. Dallas has been outshot by an average of 16.2.

"You've got to get shots on goal," center Brad Richards said following Monday's loss. "We didn't test their goalie. If we get 30 shots, maybe we win."

Richards, among the league leaders with eight assists and 10 points, looks to extend his season-opening point streak to six games. He has 14 goals and 26 assists in 45 career games versus Florida.

Panthers forward David Booth, who notched his first two goals of the season Saturday, has no points in three career games against the Stars.

Florida scored six goals in each of its last two matchups with the Stars - both victories in Dallas.

In the teams' last meeting in Sunrise, Fla., Mike Ribeiro's only career hat trick lifted the Stars to a 4-1 victory Jan. 21, 2009.