Class is in session for rookie forward Jacob Peterson

Stars (18-16-2, 38 points) vs. Sabres (12-20-7, 31 points)

If there's a good thing to the Stars' current pace, it's that they certainly aren't going to overlook a struggling Buffalo team Thursday.
Dallas is coming off a 5-3 loss to last place Montreal on Tuesday and is starting a four-game road trip against teams that are currently not in the playoffs. Buffalo is 12-20-7 and is 2-6-2 since returning from the break. However, the Sabres are coming off a 3-1 win over Ottawa on Tuesday.
"We are where we are," Stars coach Rick Bowness said. "I've been telling the players the last couple of days, `What's done is done, what's behind us is behind us. All we can focus on is tonight and moving forward.' We're not happy with where we are, but we are where we are, and we've put ourselves here. Now, pride has to take over and we have to do whatever we can to push ourselves up to a playoff spot."

The Stars have been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride. They're 4-12-1 on the road and have lost seven straight away from home. They were cruising in Dallas, but that was interrupted by the surprising loss to Montreal. Now, they sit 18-16-2, which is 20th in the league in points percentage. Yes, they can make up games on other teams in the West, but they have to win those games.
Playing against teams that have struggled could help, but Dallas has to prove it can win on the road, and also has to prove it has the depth to start collecting points with games on back-to-back nights. Bowness said that while the team plays in Detroit on Friday, it can't even think about that right now.
"We know where we are," he said. "We have to do everything we can to win this game tonight and then we'll worry about tomorrow. If we can spread out some ice time, we will, but we have to get this one tonight, so we're going to throw everything we can at them."
That last loss has definitely drawn the focus in.
"They're all opportunities wasted and can come back to bite you at the end of the year," forward Tyler Seguin said Tuesday. "We lost to Ottawa a couple of times this year and lost to Montreal. Hopefully this is just a blessing in disguise in a way that we have no choice to get our act straight on the road, coming up going on a long road trip here. There's no excuses. We're getting down to not do or die but the urgency has to be very high."

What to watch

Jason Robertson is a game-time decision with a lower-body injury, but if he can't go, Jacob Peterson is ready for another game on the top line. The 22-year-old forward played 19:05, had four shots on goal and scored a goal in the loss to Montreal Tuesday.
He continues to adapt well in his first season in the NHL.
"I've learned a lot," he said when asked about getting ready to play his 30th NHL game. "First of all, it's being mentally prepared for every game. It's a lot of games, so that's important. And then be really strong on the puck and keep making plays. Try to have the confidence, try to build that, and keep making plays."
Peterson has six goals on the season, tied for sixth on the team. He said he's trying to make the most of his time with Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz.
"It's been fun playing with those guys," he said. "They are two of the best players in the league right now, and I enjoy every second playing with them. They help me a lot."

Lineup update

Alexander Radulov is out of COVID protocol, but still is working on conditioning.
Braden Holtby will start in net. He's 10-4-2 in his career against Buffalo with a 2.44 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.
Here's the expected lineup:
Benn-Seguin-Gurianov
Peterson-Hintz-Pavelski
Raffl-Faksa-Glendening
Gardner-Damiani-Kiviranta
Suter-Klingberg
Lindell-Heiskanen
Hanley-Hakanpaa
Holtby
Oettinger

Numbers

12

John Klingberg has 12 assists in 12 career games against the Sabres.

12

The Stars have allowed 12 power-play goals against in the past 10 games, giving up at least one man-advantage goal in nine of the 10 games.

34.4

The Sabres have allowed the third most shots on goal per game in the NHL at 34.4.

He said it

"It's obviously frustrating, but they're a good team. They're in the NHL. They haven't been playing well, and they found a way to shut the door on us. We're frustrated but it doesn't do us any good to hold our heads low. We've got to hold them high and get back at it and focus on the next game." -- Defenseman Ryan Suter on moving on from Tuesday's loss against Montreal
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.