Senators stopped by Stars

The page has turned for the Senators from yesterday's game against the St. Louis Blues and this road trip doesn't get any easier as tonight they are set to take on the Dallas Stars. Sitting in third in the Central division and boasting the tenth best record in the NHL, Dallas has continued their recent success as one of the more consistent threats in the NHL.

Through October and November Dallas had a blistering start, earning 29 points by Dec. 1. December has been an up and down month for them as they have gone 3-3 including an 8-1 win over Tampa Bay before a 4-0 loss to Tampa Bay two nights later as well as 6-1 loss to the Golden Knights before a 6-3 win over the Red Wings. The Stars have had three nights off between Detroit and now and the time off offers them plenty of time to prepare for the Sens. Led by Joe Pavelski (26) , Jason Robertson (26) , Roope Hintz (24), Matt Duchene (21) and Jamie Benn (20) all with 20+ points on the season, this Dallas team can attack from all angles.

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For a team as good as they have been however, Dallas is a much better road team than they are at home, with only a 7-5-1 record at American Airlines Center. Oddly enough, the Senators have been a better road team as well this season, and looking to get back on track following their loss last night this could be a perfect storm for the Senators to come in and quiet the crowd.

The Senators have shown stretches this season of playing elite level hockey. Most notably in the four or five games before Carolina when the team won three good games and played a disciplined brand of hockey. The last two outings haven't gone the way the team would like but there is no lost confidence in what they are able to be on any given night.

Led by fearless captain Brady Tkachuk who rose to the occassion last night to try to rally the troops with his centre ice bout against Tyler Tucker. Tkachuk has 13 goals on the season already and is on pace for a career best 44 and will look to rally the team on that side of the puck here tonight. The team may well lean on their veteran leadership in Claude Giroux and Vladimir Tarasenko here as well. Both Giroux and Tarasenko are having fantastic seasons in their own right with 23 and 19 points respectively through the Sens 24 games played. Look for those two to steady the play of the top-six forwards here tonight as the Senators look to make some noise.

By the numbers

Head coach D.J. Smith mentioned in his morning availability that to combat Dallas' size, Zack MacEwen will enter the line up in place of Rourke Chartier and Mark Kastelic will line up at centre. Given that it's a back-to-back Anton Forsberg is the assumed starter tonight. Since the team did not hold a morning skate below is how they lined up last night before the announced changes:

Hear from head coach D.J. Smith and forward Drake Batherson ahead of tonight's game against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center:

Vladimir Tarasenko will not be available tonight as he has to tend to a family matter so Rourke Chartier is back in the line up:

We are live in Dallas!

Goal: On the Sens first shot of the game just 1:16 in, Travis Hamonic breaks the game open on a shot from just inside the blue line near the right face-off circle, 1-0 Sens.

Goal: After having his initial shot blocked while driving to the net on the left side, Drake Batherson grabs the rebound and puts it past Jake Oettinger on the Sens second shot of the game to make it 2-0 Sens.

Penalty: Wyatt Johnson is called for slashing Brady Tkachuk at the 6:34 mark and the Senators will have first crack at the man advatage.

Before the penalty expires, the Stars change goaltenders as Jake Oettinger appears to suffer an injury.

The Stars are able to kill off this penalty.

Penalty: Claude Giroux is called for hooking with 9:34 to play in the first.

Goal: After a series of nice passes in front of the net, Joe Pavelski scores on the power play to get back within one.

Penalty: Jani Hakanpää is called for hooking Tim Stützle at the 12:28 mark of the period and the Sens are back on the power play.

Penalty: Mathieu Joseph is called for holding Miro Heiskanen and we've got four-on-four hockey on our hands.

Goal: After Claude Giroux tried twice to poke the puck past Wedgewood, Josh Norris comes barreling in to flip the puck over his outstretched pad as he hits the ice to make it 3-1 Sens at the .

Goal: Just ten seconds later Esa Lindell puts a wrist shot past Forsberg to bring it back within one, 3-2 Sens.

Penalty: Jakob Chychrun is called for cross-checking Wyatt Johnson with 4:15 left to play.

Sens are able to kill this one off and we're back to even strength.

Goal: Just ten seconds later Esa Lindell puts a wrist shot past Forsberg to bring it back within one, 3-2 Sens.

Penalty: Jakob Chychrun is called for cross-checking Wyatt Johnson with 4:15 left to play.

Sens are able to kill this one off and we're back to even strength.

Goal: Drake Batherson flips the puck top shelf at the 4:54 mark to make it 4-2 Sens

Penalty: Sam Steel is called for tripping Jacob Bernard-Docker at the 9:42 mark to give the Sens the power play.

Goal: Thomas Harley skates through traffic and puts his own rebound through Anton Forsbergs pads to score the short handed goal with 8:39 remaining. 4-3 Sens.

Goal: Miro Heiskanen snaps one past Forsberg with 12:27 to play to tie the game 4-4.

Goal: Matt Duchene scores on a backhand at the 8:17 mark to give Dallas their first lead of the game.

This one ends 5-4 for the Stars.