Game Preview: A Night Of Emotions: Stars Return Home To Face Washington After Successful Road Trip

It was an excellent four-game road trip for the Dallas Stars, as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, and New Jersey Devils in regulation to earn a perfect 4-0-0 record on the trip. Now, they return home for six straight at the American Airlines Center, where they have a 14-4-1 mark this season.

“We are at our best when we come out of the gate and get our forechecking game going early,” Rick Bowness said. “The early goals we have scored, obviously, against New Jersey, and the early goals at home have come off the forecheck. That is the best way to get your legs going and get everyone skating. Early in the game, there is not much room and you have to create room. You create room by just putting pucks in deep.”

Tonight will be a special night for Dallas and the NHL. Prior to the drop of the puck, the Stars will retire the famed number 56 to the rafters as Sergei Zubov, along with former teammates and family, watch on.

Zubov spent 16 seasons in the NHL, 12 of which came with Dallas. He won his first Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994 and lifted the Stars only Cup in 1999.

In 1,068 career games, the Russian defenseman racked up 771 points (152G, 619A), doing most of his damage as one of the best power-play specialists in the game.

Zubov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019 and will forever have his number in the rafters at the AAC after tonight.

"The thank you will go both ways," Zubov said. "This team, this town welcomed me, and they made everything possible for me. They made this a home for me, and I really appreciate that."

As for the current Stars team, they are facing a strong Washington Capitals team in the first of a long stretch of games at home. Washington currently sits fourth in a very strong Metropolitan Division and holds down the top Wild-Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They have struggled as of late, going 3-6-1 in their last 10 and dropping two in a row but remain a very dangerous team offensively,

Braden Holtby will get the start in net tonight for Dallas. It will be the first time he has ever faced the Capitals and the first time seeing many of his former teammates since he left the team for Vancouver in 2020.

“It’s strange,” Holtby said following morning skate. “It is great to see some old faces and good friends that I have not seen a lot. It is going to be very odd tonight but exciting at the same time.”

Holtby’s day was even more special as he received a special silver stick along with other gifts this morning to celebrate his 500th career NHL game, a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes way back on Nov. 30. It is just one more positive distraction on a night that is sure to bring a lot of emotion for Holtby, the Stars, and everyone involved.

Lineup Updates

• Radek Faksa and John Klingberg skated this morning and are expected to play tonight

• Jacob Peterson is available after a false-positive COVID test yesterday prior to practice. Peterson has goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his young career

• Braden Holtby will start in net

Projected Lineup

Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski

Benn-Seguin-Gurianov

Kiviranta-Peterson-Radulov

Kero-Faksa-Glendening