Stars News & Notes: Trying to get back on track

Thursday, February 26, 2009-12:57:am
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page                            

They may be banged up and missing some key players, but the Dallas Stars are still in the middle of a tight fight for a playoff spot. They're halfway through a homestand that hasn't gone well so far, and they need to get back on track to keep pace in the race.

The Stars have hit a bump in the road recently. Actually, they've hit a bump at home. They've lost two straight games - both at American Airlines Center - and that has put them at 3-4-0 in their last seven games overall. The Stars are hoping to use the final three games of this current homestand to get back on track.

"We've been very good at home the last six weeks and we've got to keep that going," said Stars coach Dave Tippett. "The last two games we haven't got the results we wanted."

This recent slide for the Stars has pushed them to 6-5-0 in the month of February, a month where they expected to take advantage of a lot of home games to make a strong push in the standings. They won four of the first five home games in February, but dropped those last two.

Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas said the Stars can't change the past, so they need to focus on what's ahead.

"We can't look behind. We've just got to look ahead and try to focus on what's coming up," said Robidas. "It's a big game coming on Thursday night and that's what we've got to focus on."

As for turning things around, there's no magic formula.

"I think you've got to simplify," said Robidas. "When things aren't going your way you've got to simplify, keep working hard and do the little things, the details."

Ditto on the offensive front, according to Robidas. During those past seven games the Stars have been able to muster only 11 goals and the power play, which had been surging, has hit on just of 23 chances.

"When you are having a hard time scoring goals sometimes it's not the pretty goal [that gets you going]," said Robidas. "It's what we call those garbage goals. You've got to bring the puck to the net, shoot everything, get traffic in front and get rebounds. That's where we are. We've got to keep fighting, stay positive and put one in. You never know what can happen after that."

The Stars will face a tough test Thursday in the St. Louis Blues, a team that has pushed hard since the middle of January. The Blues, who have climbed back to the .500 mark,  have picked up points in 15 of their last 18 games (10-3-5) and are 4-1-2 on the road during that stretch, including wins in Chicago and Boston.

Stars coach Dave Tippett said his team will need another effort like the one put forth in Monday's 1-0 loss to league-leading San Jose.

"St. Louis is a hard working team," Tippett said. "We expect our team to play with that same passion and commitment as we did [Monday] night, and we just need a better result. "

Roster moves

The Stars officially announced Wednesday that Chris Conner had been recalled from Peoria of the AHL. Conner practiced with the Stars in Frisco Wednesday. The Stars also announced that Brent Krahn had been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Practice update

• Mike Modano, who missed Monday's game with the flu, practiced on Wednesday.

• Steve Ott (rest) and Joel Lundqvist (flu) did not practice.

• Here's was Wednesday's practice lineup.