NHL Game Preview - Vancouver at Dallas

Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:30 PM EST

The Dallas Stars have put a porous season's start in their rear-view mirror while the Vancouver Canucks have hit the skids after an impressive beginning.

The Stars aim to continue their recent success on Tuesday when they open a four-game homestand against the Canucks.

Dallas answered eight losses in its first nine games (1-7-1) of the season with a sizzling 10-1-1 stretch, highlighted by its current eight-game point streak (7-0-1).

The Stars followed up a 4-2 victory against Vancouver on Thursday by extending their winning streak to three games with a 5-4 overtime triumph over Edmonton two days later.

The offensive performance for his traditionally defensive-minded team was music to the ears of Dallas coach Jim Montgomery.

"I actually said before the game, it'd be nice for us to win a game 6-4 or 5-4. That's what matriculated," Montgomery said, per the Dallas Morning News.

"But we feel the way we've played, especially in the last 10 games, we haven't scored earlier like we have the last three games, but we felt we were getting those chances. Just a matter of time with the players we have that we'll even start to score more."

Captain Jamie Benn ended his career-worst goal drought by converting 1:14 into overtime against the Oilers for his first goal since Oct. 10.

"I can't believe it went in," the 30-year-old British Columbia native said after Dallas overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period. "There's never any quit in our team. ... We found a way to get five (goals) and it was a great battle back by our team."

Tyler Seguin, who scored and set up a goal against the Canucks on Thursday, completed a three-point performance (one goal, two assists) by setting up Benn's tally.

Radek Faksa had an assist on Blake Comeau's goal in the third to increase his point streak to six games (three goals, four assists).

While Dallas had yet to announce its starting goaltender, Anton Khudobin turned aside 30 shots on Thursday to improve to 4-0-2 in his career vs. Vancouver.

The Canucks, who began the season with a 9-3-2 start, followed up Thursday's loss to the Stars by dropping a 5-4 overtime decision to Colorado two nights later. The setback was Vancouver's sixth in seven outings (1-4-2).

Despite the recent swoon, the Canucks can hold their heads high after defenseman Alex Edler and Brock Boeser scored 1:37 apart late in the third period on Saturday.

"I thought overall we played a pretty good game," Boeser said. "That was a huge point for us. We just have to build off it."

Adam Gaudette scored a pair of power-play goals on Saturday to boost his point total to seven (four goals, three assists) in his last eight games.

"Confidence is a huge thing this year," the 23-year-old Gaudette said. "I'm just going to try to carry that."

Fellow center Jay Beagle is expected to return for Tuesday's tilt after missing three straight games with a lower-body injury.

--Field Level Media