The Dallas Stars had hoped to extend their winning streak despite an injury to Tyler Seguin. Instead, they received a vision of what life could be like without their dynamic scorer.
The Stars face a difficult matchup without Seguin on Tuesday night as they visit the hottest team in the NHL in the St. Louis Blues, though Dallas has dominated the series of late.
Dallas (26-22-8) beat Florida 2-0 on Friday for its third straight victory, but that win came at a big price, as Seguin suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him out three to six weeks.
His absence was immediately apparent in the Stars' next game, a 4-1 loss in Colorado on Saturday.
Seguin has 29 goals and ranks near the league lead with 59 points. Dallas' 3.09 non-shootout goals per game is among the best marks in the NHL.
"In my career coaching, I've seen where sometimes this can make a team stronger," coach Lindy Ruff told the Stars' official website prior to Saturday's contest. "It can give another guy an opportunity and you don't use it as an excuse you use it as an opportunity. There's injuries on every team."
The Stars will rely on their offensive depth to fill the void, as they boast seven players with at least 10 goals, led by Jamie Benn with 19. Benn totaled three goals in the two games prior to Saturday.
Jason Spezza has also produced of late with seven points in his last five games. He scored Saturday for his third goal in four contests.
Dallas will need new goaltender Jhonas Enroth to step up while Seguin is out, but Enroth's fortunes did not immediately change in his first start for the Stars after being acquired from Buffalo on Wednesday.
His four goals allowed against Colorado pushed his goals-against average to 3.29, worst in the NHL among goalies with at least 25 starts.
St. Louis (37-15-4), opening a four-game homestand, has won three in a row after a 2-1 shootout victory over Florida on Sunday, giving it a 15-2-1 mark in its last 18 games.
Jaden Schwartz scored for St. Louis with Vladimir Tarasenko picking up an assist. Tarasenko leads the club with 29 goals and has scored five times in his last eight games, while Schwartz reached the 20-goal milestone for the second consecutive season Sunday.
"Those guys are very dangerous together," said defenseman Barret Jackman, who can pass Brian Sutter for second place on the Blues' all-time games list with 780 on Tuesday. "When they're stealing pucks like that, it gives us a lot of opportunities to score."
Brian Elliott picked up the win to bounce back from a rough stretch of performances. He had allowed 10 goals in his previous three games before Sunday's 40-save effort.
Tarasenko recorded his first career hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win over Dallas on Oct. 28 and scored again in the Stars' 4-3 victory over the Blues on Dec. 27.
Dallas has gone 4-0-1 in the last six in this series and won the past three in St. Louis.
STARS (26-22-8) at BLUES (37-15-4)
TV: FS-SW, FS-MW
Season series: Goalie Kari Lehtonen made 30 saves and Jason Demers' goal with 48 seconds remaining in the second period turned out to be the game-winner in the Dallas Stars' 4-3 victory against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center on Dec. 27.
Stars team scope: The Stars, who are already without center Tyler Seguin (knee) and right wing Patrick Eaves (concussion), thought there was a chance right wing Ales Hemsky (lower body) could return against the Blues. But Hemsky did not skate Monday and did not accompany the team to St. Louis. Dallas is going to play 12 forwards, and one of them is left wing Antoine Roussel, who returns from a two-game suspension. Missing key pieces thrusts some younger players like Brett Ritchie and Curtis McKenzie into the lineup with the Stars pushing for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. "We're dealing with a little bit of adversity and you've got to wrap your arms around that," coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after practice Monday. "It's an opportunity that some of these young guys are welcoming. I want to see them be a part of the guys to help push us through here." Lehtonen is expected to get the start.
Blues team scope: Instead of taking a day off after traveling home from Florida on Sunday, the Blues held a full-squad practice. Forward Patrik Berglund left practice early after crashing into the boards and favoring his right leg, but coach Ken Hitchcock said he will be fine to play Tuesday. Left wing Alexander Steen and center Jori Lehtera had maintenance days and will play. Goalie Brian Elliott, who made 40 saves in a 2-1 shootout victory Sunday against the Florida Panthers, will start. Hitchcock said the Blues are looking at flipping centers Paul Stastny and Lehtera to "see if we can get some new energy from those two lines that might work for us." Hitchcock said left wing Chris Porter is "at that 100-percent range and eager to get in." Porter has been out with a left ankle injury since Dec. 29 (20 games).
