Dallas @ New Jersey preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 10, 2019 ) New Jersey 0, Dallas 2

Rick Bowness received a complete effort in his first game as interim coach of the Dallas Stars nearly two months ago, and the result was a 2-0 shutout of the New Jersey Devils. Bowness would embrace a similar performance on Saturday when the sputtering Stars visit the Devils to begin a three-game road trip.

Bowness was left to question his club's attention to detail on Wednesday as Dallas fell for the third time in four outings with a 5-3 setback to Toronto. "Finishing checks, proper sticks, staying with your guy, just the details of the game," Bowness said. "If you cheat on those things, it's going to come back and bite you against a very good hockey team." New Jersey, which sheepishly has plenty of teeth marks to show this season, has been gashed for 25 non-shootout goals over its last five games (1-3-1). "No excuses. I have to try to be better," goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood said after Thursday's 6-5 shootout loss to Nashville. "Maybe we don't go to overtime if I make one extra save. It was one of those games that didn't go our way."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: FS Southwest-Plus, MSG-Plus

ABOUT THE STARS (28-18-4): Alexander Radulov recorded his third multi-goal performance of the season on Wednesday to claim a share of the team lead with Roope Hintz (15 goals), who could return from a one-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Rookie Denis Gurianov resides two goals behind the leaders after tallying four times in his last seven games, with conversions on breakaways occurring in each of the last two. "His speed is obvious," Bowness said. "He can make plays at top speed. A lot of guys with that top speed have to slow down a little when they try to get a shot off, so that's a great skill. It's his first full year, and he'll just keep getting better."

ABOUT THE DEVILS (18-24-8): Pavel Zacha recorded his second three-point performance of the season on Thursday after collecting two goals and an assist, an impressive output considering he had just eight points in his previous 17 contests. "I felt good before the game, just being ready with a couple days off to get our energy back. ... I think we had a good start, but we have to win these games," the 22-year-old said. Kyle Palmieri has boosted his team-leading point total (33) after denting the scoresheet for the 11th time in 15 games.

OVERTIME

1. New Jersey will honor the 20th anniversary of its second Stanley Cup title prior to Saturday's contest. The Devils beat the defending champion Stars in six games in 2000.

2. Dallas is 0-for-12 on the power play in its last four games.

3. The Devils own a sterling 10-0-3 record in their last 13 home games versus the Stars.

PREDICTION: Devils 3, Stars 2