After getting four days to shed any jet lag they incurred following the NHL Global Series in Finland, the Dallas Stars have turned their attention to hosting the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday evening.
The Stars lost back-to-back games to the Florida Panthers in Finland last weekend.
Following a day off, the Stars held an optional practice on Tuesday, but attendance was near 100 percent.
“We’re not used to losing two games in a row,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “The guys want to get this back on track.”
Dallas played without center Tyler Seguin on Saturday because of a lower-body injury, but he practiced Tuesday and Wednesday.
Stars left wing Mason Marchment missed both practices with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day. If he’s unavailable against Chicago, Oskar Back likely will remain in the lineup.
DeBoer said Thursday’s game could be sloppy following the travel and layoff, but that shouldn’t prevent a win as long as the Stars stick to their style of play.
“When we’re on it and we’re sharp on our details and our compete, we’re a hell of a team,” Dallas center Matt Duchene said. “When we’re missing one of them, we’re a good team — we’re not a great team.”
Dallas forward Jason Robertson said the Stars are ready for their schedule to ramp up.
“October was kind of a feeling-out process,” he said. “Then you kind of get these checkmarks — Thanksgiving, Christmas break, All-Star break, trade deadline — so it’s coming up rather quickly. I think Finland was one of those things where once we get over it, the whole season starts.”
The Stars beat Chicago 4-2 on Oct. 26, their final game before leaving for Europe.
The Blackhawks’ bid for a season-best three straight wins fell short in a 4-1 loss Wednesday to the visiting Detroit Red Wings.
“Yeah, it was disappointing,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “We just didn’t have energy, I thought, most of the night. Just a couple of poor decisions at times. Timely goals against, like the one at the end of the first period, we obviously can’t give up. I know it bounced around a little bit in front of the net, but we have to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The game marked the second return to the Windy City by Detroit forward Patrick Kane, who was traded by Chicago to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline of the 2022-23 season.
Kane was asked about the direction he sees the current Blackhawks team heading. Chicago hasn’t made the playoffs during an 82-game season since 2016-17.
“It sounds like they’re playing a lot better this year,” Kane said. “It looks like they brought in a good mix of veterans. Guys that can help the young players along a little bit and have had some success in the league.”
Kane also was asked his impression of Chicago center Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
“He’s obviously a special player,” Kane said. “He does a lot of things that not many guys can do in the league, as far as the way he can stickhandle around defenders or get his shot off.
“Coming into the league, maybe his play-making was a little underrated, too. You see a lot of plays that he makes for his linemates. He’s had a great start to his career, and I’m sure he’ll continue to get better and better.”
–Field Level Media