8:30 TONIGHT, AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER
- TV: Fox Sports Net
- Radio: WWCD-FM (101.1)
The series
The Blue Jackets are 8-19-0-5 against the Stars, including 4-10-0-2 in American Airlines Center.
This is the first of four meetings this season.
The setup
The Blue Jackets are 4-1-1 the past three seasons in Dallas, but four of those six games went to
overtime or shootout. The Stars played last night in Detroit while the Blue Jackets waited for
them. The Blue Jackets should be buoyed by the return of two veterans, defenseman Mike Commodore
and left winger Raffi Torres. Heads up! Stars winger Steve Ott always manages to get under the Blue
Jackets' skin.
-- Aaron Portzline
aportzline@dispatch.com
Columbus Blue Jackets at a glance
• Past 10 games: 5-3-2
• Power play: 23.3 percent (seventh in the NHL)
• Penalty kill: 78.2 percent (22nd)
• Player to watch: G Steve Mason returns after a two-game break and a bout with back spasms. He
has an .846 save percentage on the road.
• Injury update: G Steve Mason, D Mike Commodore (fatigue), LW Raffi Torres (fractured maxilla),
probable; C Sammy Pahlsson (elbow), doubtful; C Andrew Murray (shoulder), LW Fredrik Modin (knee),
out
Dallas Stars at a glance
• Past 10 games: 5-3-2
• Power play: 17.2 percent (21st)*
• Penalty kill: 80.0 percent (17th)*
• Player to watch: LW James Neal, the Stars' leading goal-scorer, has taken a big step forward
in his second season.
• Injury update: RW Jere Lehtinen (groin), probable; RW Fabian Brunnstrom (shoulder), C Brian
Sutherby (groin), out
* -- Not including last night's game
