• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Struggling Stars look to snap skid vs. Coyotes

Nov 15, 2008 - 11:31 AM Dallas (5-8-3) at Phoenix (8-7-0), 9:00pm EST

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars are apparently suffering from a lengthy playoff hangover - and more than a month into the new season it shows no signs of letting up.

The struggling Stars will try to get on track and snap a three-game winless streak when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday for a Pacific Division clash.

Dallas advanced to the Western Conference finals last season, falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. But it got off to a sluggish start to the new campaign and, after a brief recovery, has fallen on hard times again. The Stars have dropped three in a row - though one was an overtime loss - with all three games coming against divisional opponents.

Goaltender Marty Turco has gotten off to a rough start, ranking last in the NHL with a 3.70 goals against average and .865 save percentage. He has an. 886 save percentage against the Coyotes for his career and lost four of five meetings last season.

However, during the team's recent skid, he hasn't been the problem. The Stars have managed just five goals over their last three games to slip to last place in the division.

The Coyotes, meanwhile, had won three straight before giving up four power-play goals in a 4-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

Center Olli Jokinen (seven goals, nine assists) and right wing Shane Doan (nine goals, seven assists) lead the club with 16 points apiece, including a combined nine over the last four games.