The St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars look to finish 2016 with some momentum and correct some notable issues heading into the flip of the calendar to 2017.
For St. Louis (17-11-5), that issue is simple: being more effective at finishing games. On Monday night, the Blues lost 3-2 in overtime to the visiting Edmonton Oilers despite leading 2-1 after two periods.
The defeat continued a recent trend, as St. Louis fell for third time in the past four games it led after 40 minutes of play.
"Grit, determination, technique (is what this boils down to)," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after the loss to the Oilers. "But that's a team thing. You've got to get it done."
The Blues, who eliminated the Stars in seven games in the second round of the 2016 playoffs by winning Game 7 in Dallas, are 4-4-2 over their past 10 games and 4-9-1 on the road.
Backup goaltender Carter Hutton got the nod between the pipes for the Blues on Monday night, meaning No. 1 netminder Jake Allen, who is 5-2-0 with a 2.38 goals-against-average and two shutouts in eight career games against the Stars, likely will start Tuesday evening at American Airlines Center.
Allen stopped 30 of 36 shots in his last start, a 6-4 home loss to Chicago on Saturday.
Dallas (13-14-6) heads into Tuesday's Central Division tilt fresh off a 3-1 win against Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon, a victory that ended the Flyers' 10-game winning streak and made the Stars 9-5-2 on home ice.
Against the Flyers, fourth-line grinder Adam Cracknell delivered the eventual game-winning goal in the third period. Cracknell was signed late in preseason and has been a welcome addition to the lower end of the Dallas lineup, delivering solid, workmanlike shifts and also scoring a few goals.
Cracknell made his NHL debut with the Blues in 2010, so the veteran forward is looking forward to facing the team that afforded him his first shot in the league.
"They gave me an opportunity," Cracknell said after practice Monday. "I had a great career with St. Louis, up and down a little bit, but all in all, a great experience and got some playoff experience as well. Always excited to play against those guys."
Dallas is 4-6-0 over its past 10 games, and the Stars continue to pace the NHL with 101 goals allowed. However, fourth-year coach Lindy Ruff is more than a bit encouraged by his team allowing an average of just two goals per game over its past eight contests.
"Well, I think first (reason for that drop in goals allowed is) a greater commitment from the group," Ruff said. "Second part, we made a system change I think has helped everybody. It's helped our defense, and all the guys like it."
Special teams figure to be critical on Tuesday, especially with the Blues having the NHL's second-best penalty kill (88.5 percent) and No. 7 power play (21.9 percent), but the Stars' special teams will be impacted by two key absences, Johnny Oduya and Patrick Sharp.
Oduya sustained a lower-body injury against Philadelphia on Saturday and did not practice on Monday.
"Johnny will just be day-to-day," Ruff said Monday. "He went out after practice to see how it feels, probably know more (Tuesday). He's in the category of unlikely probably."
Oduya missed 10 games with a lower-body injury before returning to the lineup Dec. 11 at Chicago.
Sharp is a former teammate of Oduya in Chicago, where the two played for several Stanley Cup champions, but the veteran forward will miss a ninth consecutive game with concussion-like symptoms.
Sharp sat out 14 games with similar symptoms earlier this season before returning Nov. 19. He then played the next six games before experiencing symptoms during a game at Pittsburgh on Dec. 1, which was the last time he played.
"Yeah, he obviously practiced full (Monday), so he's getting closer to a return," Ruff said.
Dallas is looking to rack up points at home during a five-game homestand and a month that will see them play nine times at home. The Stars are 2-1-0 during the homestand thus far.
Blues • The Blues are 1-1 against the Stars this season, losing 6-2 at Dallas on Nov. 3 and winning at Scottrade Center 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 28. The teams meet again on Jan. 7 and then are done for the season. … The Blues’ road penalty kill of 92.3 percent is the second-best in the league. … Jake Allen will start in goal.
Stars • Dallas has won two of its last three, all with Antti Niemi in goal. The Stars’ team goals-against average of 3.04 ranks 26th in the league. … Tyler Seguin is eighth in the league in points with 32 (10 goals, 22 assists). … Center Cody Eakin is serving a four-game suspension for charging Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. … Stars rookie Devin Shore has five goals and eight assists.
Injuries • Blues — D Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) is out. Stars – F Mattias Janmark (knee), F Ales Hemsky (hip) are out. F Patrick Sharp (concussion) and D Johnny Oduya (lower body) are day-to-day.
This day in history:
1968 and 1969 Jacques Plante has shutouts in back-to-back years on same night - '68 vs Oakland Seals 1-0 and '69 vs Flyers 3-0
1973 Montreal Canadien Henri Richard scores his 1,000th NHL point
1983 Guy Lafleur, Montreal, became 10th NHLer to score 500 goals
1985 Denis Potvin passes Bobby Orr for most points by NHL Defenseman (916 points)
1989 Brett Hull scored his 3rd career hat trick in 9-6 loss to Blackhawks
1991 NHL grants permanent membership to Tampa Lightning & Ottawa Senators
2000 Pavol Demitra has 5 point night with a hat trick and two assists in 6-3 Win vs NY Rangers
