Eurolanche

Stars at Avalanche

The Dallas Stars may have finally found a goaltender who can consistently lead them to the postseason as they try for their fifth straight victory when they begin a five-game road trip Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche. Ben Bishop (5-1-0, 2.09 goals-against average, .928 save percentage), who signed a six-year contract last summer, is expected to make his seventh straight start and eighth of the season.

"He's been outstanding for us this year. He gives the team a lot of confidence," Dallas defenseman Dan Hamhuis told reporters about Bishop after Saturday's 4-3 victory over Carolina. "He's a real competitor. The thing people probably don't know is how much he talks. He talks a ton out there helping the defensemen. He's another set of eyes out there letting us know what to do. And there's his ability to play the puck. It's like having a sixth player out there at times." Colorado has lost three straight after a 4-3 setback against St. Louis on Thursday, putting a wet blanket on an encouraging 4-1-0 start. The Stars started the Avalanche of setbacks with a 3-1 victory Oct. 14 - their fifth straight victory in the series - with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin recording a goal and an assist apiece. A bright spot for Colorado has been the play of rookie forward Alexander Kerfoot, who scored twice Thursday and has three goals and two assists with a plus-4 rating this season.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE STARS (5-3-0): While Bishop has solidified the back end, the usual suspects are producing up front as Seguin (six goals this season) and Benn (four) lead the team with eight points apiece. No other player has more than two goals, though, with defenseman John Klingberg (seven points) one of four players with a pair. Dallas received a boost from its fourth line Saturday as Tyler Pitlick (two goals), Radek Faksa (two assists) and Antoine Roussel (assist) produced five of their 10 points this season.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (4-4-0): Matt Duchene, who wants to be traded, isn't performing like he wants to be playing elsewhere by sharing the team lead in goals (three) and points (seven) with a plus-4 rating this season after finishing minus-34 in 2016-17. Nail Yakupov (pointless in four games) and Sven Andrighetto (three) have gone cold after beginning their seasons hot with three goals apiece. Rookie left wing J.T. Compher (goal, three assists this season) broke a thumb while blocking a shot Thursday and is out indefinitely while rookie center Tyson Jost (goal, assist) is expected to miss 2-to-3 weeks after sustaining a lower-body injury versus St. Louis.

OVERTIME

1. The Stars entered Monday with the No. 3 penalty-killing unit at 90 percent and the No. 6 power play (26.1).

2. Dallas F Mattias Janmark, who missed last season due to injury, has two goals and five points with a team-best plus-4 after recording 15 goals, 29 points and a plus-12 rating as a rookie in 2015-16.

3. Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen (seven points) has a team-most six assists - four on the power play, but is a club-worst minus-4.

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