The Stars (26-17-4) are coming off a 2-1 shootout loss at Columbus on Thursday. Stars forward Alexander Radulov scored with 2:05 left in regulation to tie the game and Ben Bishop made a big save with 30 seconds remaining to keep it a 1-1 score, but Columbus forward Artemi Panarin scored the lone goal of the shootout to give the Blue Jackets the two points.
"I thought we did a good job of finding a way to get a point there," Bishop said. "At this point of the season, you've got to find a way to get points when you are not at your best. I don't think anybody in this room is going to say it was our best game."
Stars coach Ken Hitchcock bristled at the thought of being happy with a point after the game on Thursday and talked more about it on Friday.
"We want to move ahead, but what was disappointing was our start," Hitchcock said of the Stars' sluggish first period when they fell behind 1-0. "The start is a reflection of everybody. It's a reflection of the coaches; it's a reflection of the players. At this time of the year, you want to have your team ready to go, and we had to go the other way. We weren't ready to play. That's on all of us, and that's disappointing."
The Stars have picked up five of six points in the first three games of their road trip, which wraps up Saturday in Buffalo.
The Stars have picked up points in nine of their last 12 games overall (8-3-1).
Center Martin Hanzal (maintenance) did not practice Friday. Hitchcock said Hanzal would be fine for Saturday.
Hitchcock said defenseman Dillon Heatherington, who made his NHL debut Thursday, will play again Saturday.
Kari Lehtonen will get the start in goal against the Sabres.
Injuries: Marc Methot (knee) is out.
