NHL Game Preview - Detroit at Dallas

Tue Oct 10, 2017 8:30 PM EDT

DALLAS -- When the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars square off Tuesday evening at American Airlines Center, the matchup of former Central Division rivals will feature one team that is undefeated against another that is winless.

The Red Wings (2-0-0) are coming off a 2-1 shootout victory at Ottawa on Saturday. The Stars (0-2-0) lost 4-2 at St. Louis on Saturday.

Considering that many felt the Stars, who have a new coach, Ken Hitchcock, and several new players, including starting goaltender Ben Bishop and forward Alexander Radulov, had improved their roster most during the offseason, Dallas' record is surprising.

Hitchcock, who is two games into his second stint coaching the Stars, isn't worried.

"Well, in a lot of ways, it is the start we wanted based on play or analytics or whatever you want to call it, just the record isn't what we wanted," Hitchcock said after practice Monday. "We just got to keep going. We're doing a lot of good things. We got to keep building on the good things."

Dallas, which has been led by defenseman John Klingberg and second-year center Devin Shore, who each have two points, will get boosts from two returning players Tuesday.

Bishop will get his first start since taking a puck to the head early in the third period of a season-opening 2-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.

After a shot by ex-Star Reilly Smith got through Bishop's mask, it struck him in the head, drawing blood and forcing Bishop to leave the ice for medical attention. Backup goalie Kari Lehtonen yielded two goals to another former Star, James Neal, as Vegas won its NHL debut.

Lehtonen also started and went the distance in Dallas' road loss to the Blues, but Bishop is fully healed and ready to return to the crease against the Red Wings.

"The eye was a little swollen the next day (Saturday), but it's fine now," Bishop said Monday after practice. "I probably could have gone if necessary in St. Louis, but just let the swelling go down a little bit and obviously ready for tomorrow."

Dallas also is likely to get back forward Martin Hanzal, who missed most of the St. Louis game with a lower-body injury.

"We're thinking that he's going to play," Hitchcock said of Hanzal. "He took the first 25 minutes of practice (Monday), and then I pulled him out when we got into the team drills that had contact, I pulled him out just to make sure."

However, the news isn't quite as favorable concerning Stars veteran defenseman Dan Hamhuis, who didn't practice Monday and will be a game-time decision for a second consecutive contest.

"He's got a sore groin," Hitchcock said of Hamhuis. "We'll wait and see how he feels."

Dallas made a roster move on Sunday, placing veteran forward Adam Cracknell on waivers. On Monday morning, the New York Rangers claimed Cracknell, which means Dallas will make a corresponding move to recall a young forward from its American Hockey League affiliate in Cedar Park.

After practice Monday, Hitchcock was unsure exactly who that would be, but he does know whoever is promoted from the AHL will come up to make the Stars a faster team.

"The league's gone up a whole other gear. This is a frenetic pace like I've never seen before," Hitchcock said. "This is absolutely at times breathtaking at the speed and tempo that the game's being played at now."

Detroit practiced in the Motor City on Monday morning before flying to Dallas. Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, out the first two games with a groin injury, practiced and is expected to return later in the road trip, either on Thursday at Arizona or Friday in Las Vegas.

The Tuesday game will be special for Detroit defenseman Trevor Daley, who spent his first 10-plus NHL seasons in Dallas before being traded in the summer of 2016.

Daley has yet to play in Dallas as a visitor, and it is safe to say the former Stars fan favorite is excited about finally doing so.

"I'm excited to go back there," Daley told the Detroit Free Press after practice Monday. "When I was in Pittsburgh, I was injured. When I was in Chicago, I got traded before we went there, so I've never been back there before."

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill is always happy anytime he gets the opportunity to add an experienced defenseman of Daley's pedigree to his rearguard.

"He's done a great job. He's a good puck-moving, solid defenseman that helps you get out of your end. He's got good moxie to him," Blashill said of Daley. "He's been around lots of situations. He's confident, he's got poise under pressure and he gives us another guy that can play minutes."

Fellow defenseman Mike Green currently leads Detroit with four assists while forwards Martin Frk and Anthony Mantha have each chipped in three assists.

Detroit's No. 1 goaltender, Jimmy Howard, is the likely starter in net at Dallas. Following the shootout win in Ottawa over the weekend, Howard offered his thoughts on what it would take to get to 3-0-0.

"Just stingy (is how we need to be on the road)," Howard told the team's official website. "You don't have to be pretty on the road. You just have to find a way to get points."