Music: {allcanada} STARS (9-10-5) at MAPLE LEAFS (12-8-3)

Monday, December 1, 2014

{allcanada} STARS (9-10-5) at MAPLE LEAFS (12-8-3)

It's a Wonderful Life / The Polar Express

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

7:30 PM ET

STARS (9-10-5) at MAPLE LEAFS (12-8-3)

TV: FS-SW+, TSN4

Season series: The Dallas Stars gained three points and the Toronto Maple Leafs two in their 2013-14 season series. Trevor Smith scored with 41.4 seconds left in overtime to give the Maple Leafs a 3-2 win at Air Canada Centre on Dec. 5, 2013. The Stars responded with a 7-1 rout at American Airlines Center on Jan. 23, 2014. Jamie Benn had one goal and three assists and Valeri Nichushkin had two goals and one assist.

Stars team scope: It looked as though Dallas took a step forward with a recent three-game win streak and 3-0-1 homestand, but issues that plagued the Stars during a poor start crept up again in a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday that started a three-game road trip on a sour note. "I've broke every game down," coach Lindy Ruff said after practice Monday. "If it was one thing I could tell you what it was, but it's been a number of different things. Sometimes a tough goal goes in, sometimes it's maybe a player falling down at a tough time. There's been a few periods where we've played poorly; there's been periods where we've played great and given up the lead. It's not one thing." Defenseman Alex Goligoski didn't practice Monday because of a lower-body injury sustained against the Avalanche.

Maple Leafs team scope: Forward Phil Kessel left practice early Monday with lower-body soreness, according to the Toronto Sun, but is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday. Forward Leo Komarov, who took only one shift in the third period of a 6-2 win Saturday against the Washington Capitals after being hit by Alex Ovechkin, was not at practice Monday. "He thought he felt pretty good this morning. We kept him out for precautionary reasons," assistant coach Steve Spott said. Joffrey Lupul took Komarov's place on a line with Mike Santorelli and Nazem Kadri. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier has started four straight and is 3-0-1 with a .924 save percentage over that stretch. Center Tyler Bozak has five goals in his past three games. "The goals are great, but what we like as coaches is … the work he does away from the puck to defend as well," Spott said. "He's really emerging as a No. 1 center in this League now."