Preview: Stars at Blues

[January 07, 2017]  Vladimir Tarasenko has rediscovered his scoring touch in the new year, collecting three goals in two games after mustering just three during his final 13 contests of 2016. The 25-year-old Russian looks to continue his good fortune on Saturday as the St. Louis Blues play the fifth contest of their six-game homestand with the finale of their four-game season series versus the Dallas Stars.

Tarasenko, who scored his team-leading 19th goal in Thursday's 4-2 setback to Carolina, tallied in overtime to give St. Louis a 4-3 triumph over Dallas on Nov. 28. Fellow forward David Perron scored in that contest and his overtime tally in a 3-2 win over the Stars on Dec. 20 ignited a three-game goal-scoring binge. Dallas fell to 2-8 this season in overtime with a 4-3 setback to Montreal on Wednesday, but enters Saturday's opener of a three-game road trip with at least a point in its last seven encounters (2-0-5) with the Blues. Tyler Seguin scored versus the Canadiens to extend his point streak to five games (four goals, three assists) and has five points - all assists - in three meetings with St. Louis this season.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest-Plus (Dallas), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE STARS (16-15-8): Veteran Jason Spezza is enjoying his finest stretch of the season as his assist versus the Canadiens gave him 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his last 12 games. The 33-year-old Ontario native is riding a four-game point streak against St. Louis with four goals and two assists, including notching two of each this season. While receiving offense from a five-time 30-goal scorer hardly is considered breaking news, Esa Lindell has scored twice in a five-game stretch to increase his total to a team high-tying four among defensemen.

 ABOUT THE BLUES (20-14-5): Coach Ken Hitchcock took his club's special teams play to task following the loss to the Hurricanes, saying that "We certainly lost both ends of the special teams, battling - we got outworked. That's not a good sign." St. Louis permitted a power-play goal to the Hurricanes and has yielded a tally while short-handed in each contest versus Dallas this season. Conversely, the Blues are just 1-for-8 with the man advantage in three games against the Stars and 3-for-20 in their last eight contests overall.

OVERTIME

1. Dallas D John Klingberg has two goals and an assist in three games this season versus St. Louis.

2. St. Louis' Carter Hutton could receive his ninth start on Saturday as fellow G Jake Allen awaits the birth of his child.

3. Dallas D Patrik Nemeth was sent to Texas of the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment Friday.

PREDICTION: Stars 4, Blues 3

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