With Robertson and Comeau, Stars finally have a healthy lineup

Stars (3-3-0, 6 points) vs. Golden Knights (2-4-0, 4 points)

The Stars might have a fully healthy lineup for the first time in two seasons.
Yes, Ben Bishop still is on long-term IR, but the Stars on Wednesday are expected to have the 18 skaters they were hoping for in training camp. With Jason Robertson returning from a shoulder injury and Blake Comeau recovered from an elbow infection, Dallas will ice the lines that fans envisioned in the summer.
Robertson is expected to return to a line with Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski, and that line was dominant at times last season. Pavelski led the Stars with 51 points (25 goals, 26 assists) in 56 games, while Robertson had 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 51 games, and Hintz had 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) in 41 games played. Hintz battled nagging injuries last season and is trying to shake off the rust from offseason surgery, while the line has struggled to find the right fit without Robertson.
Getting them together could be a huge boost to a Stars team that ranks 30th in goals per game at 1.83.

"Offense," Stars head coach Rick Bowness said when asked what Robertson adds. "They had such great chemistry last year with Robo. Sometimes it takes time, it doesn't mean the puck is going to drop and they're going to pick up where they left off. You hope that happens, but you can't get frustrated if it doesn't. If they need a couple of games…but he gives us more offense, and hopefully more time in the [offensive] zone, which we've been promoting here for a little bit."
Robertson said he had to be cleared to shoot the puck after suffering the shoulder injury in preseason play against Colorado on Oct. 7 but added that he's worked a lot on his shot in the past week while rehabbing with Bishop.
"This past week, I'd go out with Bish and shoot pucks, and honestly I felt like my shot was better after shooting on Bish," Robertson said. "I feel confident, and that's what I want to be like going into the game tonight."

Robertson sat out several games to start last season as he had not yet earned a spot in the lineup. He said he tried to use these first six games the same way he did last season when he studied play. That said, he was the runner-up for rookie of the year last season and represented the Stars on the league's media tour before the season, so he knows he's in a different place in his career.
"I'm just really excited to get back into it because I want to help this team," he said.
A big part of that will be having the confidence to create offense.
"I want to shoot a lot," he said. "I know the coaches have said they want a lot of pucks on net, and that's something I like to do, and I want to do more of, so hopefully I can get those chances."
He said playing beside Hintz and Pavelski should help with the transition back.
"It's been three weeks since I passed pucks to them, so it's getting the timing back," Robertson said. "I want to say I hope I'm back to normal, and I think I will be, but I know they'll be there to help pick me up and get me back to speed."

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What to watch

Comeau is a physical and emotional leader on the Stars, so his return to play could bring help in a different area. Bowness screamed at the team during a timeout Monday in Columbus, pleading for more passion from the group. Comeau is just the guy to bring that.
"His intensity every shift. How many times have we talked about that, grinding it out and getting emotion back in the game. That's what he'll bring tonight," Bowness said of the 35-year-old veteran. "He brings that leadership, he brings that grit, he brings that in-your-face attitude."
The Stars are 3-3-0 and have been able to keep games close, but they've not been able to find consistent jump, especially early in games. They often get behind, and then find their energy. Comeau should be able to deliver from the first shift.
"You don't want to react to what the opposition is doing, you've got to initiate," Bowness said. "Yeah, if they start hitting, you want to hit them back, but don't wait for them to start hitting before you start hitting. We have to initiate more."

Comeau missed the first four games last season with COVID. He missed the first month of the season the year before with a knee injury.
"It's always tough watching," he said. "It sucks because you grind all summer long to get in shape, you have a tough training camp, and then you have to sit and watch for a couple of weeks. It's been tough but I'm excited to get back with the guys."
And as for that leadership thing, he believes the entire team will find a way to get more energy.
"We're far enough in now where I think the players have to take control of that," he said. "Everyone has to know what's acceptable and what's not. I think everyone needs to take a look at their own game and take a look in the mirror and up their level. I think the team is going to start to have some success."

Lineup updates

Well, this is what everyone has been waiting for.
With the return of Comeau and Robertson, you now have the ability to put together your first line and fourth line, and then you can shuffle the middle six with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin centering two balanced lines. Here's how it looked at morning skate:
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Gurianov-Benn-Radulov
Kiviranta-Seguin-Glendening
Raffl-Faksa-Comeau
Benn's move to center has forced the coaching staff to move Gurianov from right wing to left wing, and I always wondered how Gurianov and Radulov would play if they were on the same line. They were good in the third period in Columbus, so the coaching staff is hoping that continues. Seguin and Glendening can swap between center and right wing, so that'll be an interesting line to watch. Faksa and Raffl have been one of the most effective pairings this season.
Anton Khudobin gets the start in goal. He's 1-1-0 with a 2.49 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. He's played only one regular-season game against the Golden Knights, but he beat them in the playoffs in 2020.
The Stars sent rookie Jacob Peterson to the AHL. He had one goal in six games, and Bowness said he was starting to show signs of the NHL catching up to him.
"He needs to go back and play a little bit," Bowness said. "He hit the wall a little bit up here. This is a good league, it's a tough league and he's a great prospect who has a wonderful future with the organization, but now that we have a healthy lineup, it's important that we keep him playing. It's a good move for him."

Numbers

2nd

Both the Stars and Golden Knights are getting badly outscored in the second period. Dallas has been outscored 7-2 and Vegas 8-2. Teams have a long change in the second period and that can exacerbate puck possession issues and lead to long stretches of time stuck in your own end. We'll see if that comes up tonight.

0-Fer

The Golden Knights are 0-for-14 on the power play this season. Dallas is 17-for-20 (85.0 percent) on the penalty kill.

.934

Dallas ranks sixth in the NHL in save percentage at .934. Vegas ranks 17th at .910.

He said it

"I think it comes down to controlling the puck during long stretches, controlling the change. You do all of that, you're going to have a lot more energy and you're going to play with the puck. A lot of times, you give it away and you chase the puck. If you keep it within the team, it's not always going to be a perfect play, but if you dump it and you go chase, they're going to have possession of it." -- Stars defenseman John Klingberg on how the Stars need to be more patient with their decisions in games.
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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.