Stars 0 - 1 Kings
Final
  for this game

Streaking Stars battle Kings in LA

Oct 22, 2011 - 3:48 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of Pacific Division rivals will get reacquainted tonight in Los Angeles, as the Kings welcome the red-hot Dallas Stars to the Staples Center for the first of two games between the clubs in the span of less than a week.

The Kings and Stars played six times last year and Los Angeles won four times, giving LA nine victories in the last 12 meetings between the clubs. Dallas, which will host LA on Thursday, has also dropped two of three and four out of six in the City of Angels.

Dallas is 6-1 on the season and has rattled off five straight wins, including Friday's 3-1 triumph in Anaheim. That game marked the second stop on four-game road trip that is set to end Tuesday in Phoenix.

Loui Eriksson had two goals and an assist to help the Stars beat the Ducks on Friday. Mike Ribeiro scored the other goal for the Stars, who have won five in a row for the first time since Jan. 9-20. Dallas last won six in a row from Nov. 24-Dec. 4 of last season.

Kari Lehtonen made 35 saves to improve to 6-0 on the season for Dallas, giving the netminder the first six-game winning streak of his career.

Dallas is off to its best since it began the 2006-07 season 8-1-0.

"Obviously for us we missed the playoffs by one game last year and we lost our last game (of the season). Every point we can get is huge early in the season," Dallas defenseman Stephane Robidas said. "We've got to take advantage of that and make sure we are ready to play every night. We are rolling four lines for 60 minutes and we are just trying to stay on top of things right now."

The Kings are off to a strong start themselves, going 4-1-1 out of the gate. LA goaltender Jonathan Quick also enters tonight riding a lengthy shutout streak, as he has recorded consecutive blankings over St. Louis and Phoenix. He made 28 saves in Thursday's 2-0 victory over the Coyotes.

Quick, who had six shutouts last season, has 16 white-washings in his career.

"We can't get complacent, and we can't be satisfied. We just got to keep coming out every game with the same hard work mentality that we've had," Quick said.

Dustin Brown and Kyle Clifford tallied for the Kings, who have won three straight and recorded points in each of their last four outings.

The Kings have played their last two games without top defenseman Drew Doughty, who suffered an upper-body injury against Philadelphia on Oct. 15. Doughty is not eligible to be activated from injured reserve until at least Tuesday's home game against New Jersey.






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