Stars at Lightning

[IE]

Season to date: 4-7 -3.10

Dallas Stars +110


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STARS: The Stars were supposed to be a team in transition this season after the departure of G Marty Turco and C Mike Modano, but after the first week and a half of the season, Dallas (4-0) is one of two teams without a loss and has allowed just 10 goals.

The Stars recalled Aaron Gagnon on Sunday and expect to put him in the lineup against Tampa Bay. Gagnon has no points in two career NHL games. ... Jamie Benn skated Sunday but probably will sit out his third consecutive game.

INJURIES: Stars ? C Jamie Benn (concussion like symptoms), out. Lightning ? D Mattias Ohlund (knee), out; C Vinny Lecavalier (hand), day-to-day.

NEED TO KNOW: Lecavalier, who took a puck off his right index finger in Saturday's game, will be evaluated this morning and might be a game-time decision. ? Tampa Bay is 6-17-5 all-time against Dallas, including 2-10-3 in Tampa and 1-7-1 in the past eight visits by the Stars. ? Former Lightning C Brad Richards has a league-high seven assists and nine points. ? LW Simon Gagne has zero points through four games. ? Dallas G Kari Lehtonen, who has stopped 136 of 146 shots this season, is 11-5-3 with a 2.25 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in 20 career games against Tampa Bay.

 

[IE]

St Louis +125

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Heading into tonight's game against the Blackhawks, the Blues lead the NHL in shots per game, averaging 39 through four games.

HAWKS GIVE UP OVER 30 SHOTS PER GAME.







BLUES TONIGHT'S LINEUP

Forwards

David Perron-David Backes-T.J. Oshie

Andy McDonald-Patrik Berglund-Brad Boyes

Alex Steen-Jay McClement-B.J. Crombeen

Brad Winchester-Vladimir Sobotka-Matt D'Agostini

Defensemen

Eric Brewer-Roman Polak

Barret Jackman-Alex Pietrangelo

Carlo Colaiacovo-Erik Johnson

Goalie

Jaroslav Halak

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SOBOTKA'S DEBUT

Vladimir Sobotka, acquired in an offseason trade with Boston, will play his first game with the Blues tonight. He missed most of training camp and the first four games of the season recovering from shoulder surgery.

"I feel like I'm ready," Sobotka said. "I've been practicing and I'm in good shape. It could be better, but I feel good on the ice. I feel like I'm ready for hitting and everything."

Payne likes the makeup of the Winchester-Sobotka-D'Agostini line.

"We feel that's a real good mix for our hockey club," Payne said.

D'Agostini had been playing center, but Sobotka is a natural centerman, so D'Agostini will move to right wing, where he's played a lot in his career.

"Sobi is a centerman, so I have no problem going back to the wing," D'Agostini said. "I'll just try to be skating and working and playing in their end as much as possible. Sobi is a good addition to the lineup. I like the way our line looks. We've been clicking good in practice the last couple of days. We haven't had too much time together, but hopefully things will start clicking fast."

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SHAKING UP THE 'D' PAIRS

For the first time this season, Payne will change his defensive pairs against Chicago. You will see Pietrangelo-Jackman together and Colaiacovo-Johnson.

"We'll probably start with that tonight and see how it goes," Payne said. "You've got two guys (Colaiacovo and Johnson) that can move the puck. Depending on what (Chicago coach Joel Quenneville) is going to want to play against (matchup-wise), we feel that if we can get one group shutdown a little bit, we might be able to attack out of that spot. That's a little bit of our mentality, but it's not set in stone."

Pietrangelo, who currently leads the Blues with a plus-3 rating, was pretty low-key about the change.

"Everyone here has experience ... Carlo has been in the league for a long time, too ... so either way it's a positive thing for me," Pietrangelo said.

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PHYSICAL BATTLE?

Blackhawk defenseman John Scott (6-foot-8, 258 pounds) told Chicago reporters this morning that he expects a physical battle tonight against the Blues.


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[IE]

Colorado /
New York Under 5 ? -110

 

[bert07]

sorry IE stars get their first loss tonight

best of luck though