Lehtonen has chance to shut down MVP

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Key matchup: Corey Perry vs. Kari Lehtonen
Perry was the league MVP last season but is off to a slow start with two goals in five games. Lehtonen is one of the NHL's hottest goalies with a 5-0-0 record and 1.58 GAA.


The Stars are 5-1-0 and coming off a 3-2 win Tuesday in Columbus. ... The Ducks are 4-1-0 and coming off a 3-2 win Monday over San Jose. ... Former Stars goalie Dan Ellis had 41 saves in that game, but Jonas Hiller is expected to start against the Stars. Hiller is 4-3-1 in his career against the Stars with a 2.40 GAA and .933 save percentage. ... Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen is 3-4-2 in his career against the Ducks with a 3.21 GAA and .898 save percentage. ... Stars C Mike Ribeiro has 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) and is plus-18 in 37 career games against the Ducks.

 

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The Ducks are very similar to the Stars right now.

They are off to a 4-1-0 start thanks to good goaltending, but they are not yet playing great hockey.

This should be a fun game for both sides, because they both are well rested, and both are fighting to put some distance inbetween themselves and the Pacific Division favorites San Jose and LA.

The Ducks still have one of the top lines in the NHL with Bobby Ryan-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry. Perry was the NHL MVP last season with 50 goals among 98 points. He also had 11 game-winning goals.

Ageless Teemu Selanne had 31 goals last season and already has three this season, including two in a 3-2 win over San Jose Monday.

Like the Stars, the key for the Ducks has been in goal. Jonas Hiller has overcome his problems with vertigo and has been very steady this season. Former Stars goalie Dan Ellis is providing a solid backup.

Expect the lines to look something like this:

Bobby Ryan-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
Brandon McMillan-Saku Koivu-Teemu Selanne
Andrew Gordon-Andrew Cogliano-Devante Smith-Pelly
Matt Beleskey-Maxime Macenauer-George Parros

Toni Lydman-Lubomir Visnovsky
Francois Beauchemin-Cam Fowler
Luca Sbisa-Sheldon Brookbank

Jonas Hiller
Dan Ellis

McMillan is getting a chance to play on the second line because of an injury to veteran Jason Blake. Fowler bears watching every time the Stars play the Ducks, because Dallas passed on the slick defenseman to take goalie Jack Campbell in the 2010 draft.

Check the Orange County Register's Ducks' blog for updates.