Avalanche 2 - 1 Stars
Final
  for this game

Stars play host to struggling Avalanche

Jan 14, 2012 - 5:07 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of teams that are currently sitting just outside the Western Conference playoff picture will meet today in Big D, as the Dallas Stars host the sliding Colorado Avalanche at American Airlines Center.

With 49 points, Dallas is ninth in the West and one behind Los Angeles and Minnesota for the conference's final two postseason berths. Despite losing its last three games, Colorado is in 10th place with 48 points.

The Stars picked up a shootout win Thursday in Los Angeles, as Loui Eriksson scored in the third round of the decisive phase to lift Dallas to a 5-4 road win over its Pacific Division rivals.

Eriksson had two goals in regulation, including a power-play tally that tied the contest at 4-4 with 5:25 left in regulation.

"This was an important win for us," said Eriksson. "We took too many penalties, but we stuck with it and got the two points."

Alex Goligoski added a goal and an assist in the win and Eric Nystrom also scored for the Stars. Kari Lehtonen stopped 37-of-41 shots in Dallas' third victory in four games.

The Stars have played the last two games without forward Mike Ribeiro, who suffered a slight tear to his MCL last Saturday against Edmonton. Ribeiro, who is considered day-to-day, has 10 goals and 21 assists this season.

Dallas is 13-7-1 as the host this year and has taken two straight, four of six and nine of its last 12 home tests against the Avalanche. The Stars have claimed two of three meetings with Colorado this season and have won four of five overall in the series.

Colorado has posted an 0-2-1 record over its last three games. The slide comes on the heels of a 9-1-0 stretch from Dec. 17-Jan. 6.

The Avalanche held a 2-0 lead just over 12 minutes into Thursday's game in Nashville, but the Predators wound up winning the game by a 3-2 count in overtime. David Legwand netted a pair of goals, including the game-winner 34 seconds into overtime, to help the Predators complete the home-and-home sweep of the Avs.

Ryan O'Reilly finished with a goal and an assist and Gabriel Landeskog also found the back of the net for the Avs. Jean-Sebastien Giguere was tagged for all three goals on 35 shots in defeat.

"They took it to us right off the bat," said O'Reilly, who leads the Avs with 32 points. "It's our decision out there how we play and it wasn't our best. I don't think we were committed right away."

Although the game ended in a loss, the Avs were happy to have forward Peter Mueller back in the lineup for the first time since October. Mueller missed all of last season with a concussion and played in just three games this year before his symptoms returned.

Mueller had nine goals and 11 assists in a 15-game stretch for Colorado when he was traded from the Coyotes during the 2009-10 season. Head injures have so far prevented Mueller from recapturing that form, but the Avs are hoping he can make an offensive impact down the stretch.

Colorado is playing the middle test of a three-game road trip today and is 10-9-2 as the guest this season.






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