Wild, Stars face off in Dallas

Hockey Betting Lines

03/14/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams feverishly fighting for a playoff spot face off tonight at the American Airlines Center, where the Dallas Stars host the Minnesota Wild in a key late-season showdown.

The Stars enter this important matchup tied with Edmonton for the final two postseason seeds in the Western Conference, but the Wild are just one point behind both teams in ninth place. In fact, only two points separate the seventh through 12th place clubs in the crowded standings.

Neither team has been playing like a serious playoff contender as of late, however. Minnesota comes in having dropped two straight and seven of its last nine games, while Dallas lost eight times in a 10-game span before pulling out a 3-2 victory over visiting Carolina on Thursday.

Brendan Morrison, acquired from the Stars via waivers from Anaheim earlier this month, scored for the first time in a Dallas uniform during a three-goal barrage in the second period. Mike Ribeiro and Steve Begin also lit the lamp to help back a 29-save effort from Marty Turco.

Ribeiro's tally extended his point scoring streak to six games and has generated four goals and four assists over that stretch.

The Stars ended a frustrating six-game home skid with Thursday's triumph and improved to 18-13-4 at the host this season. Following tonight's clash, Dallas will play three straight contests on the road beginning with a visit to Vancouver on Tuesday.

Minnesota has managed to earn a point in its two latest losses, an overtime setback to Pacific Division leader San Jose on Tuesday followed by Thursday's 2-1 shootout defeat at Colorado.

The Wild were outshot by a whopping 41-17 margin by the Avalanche, but goaltender Niklas Backstrom kept his team in the game by making 40 saves, 17 of which came during the third period and overtime.

Minnesota will now try to rebound in a building it has garnered virtually no success in over the years. The Wild have lost nine straight times (0-7-2) at the American Airlines Center and have not posted a victory in Dallas since March 21, 2003. Dallas has won 11 of the past 13 overall matchups between the teams as well, including a pair earlier this season.

Thursday's loss came in the opener of a critical three-game road trip for Minnesota, which is 14-17-1 away from home this year. The team concludes the trek Sunday at St. Louis, which is just one point behind the Wild in the West standings.

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