Calgary @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 13, 2019 ) Dallas 3, Calgary 1

The Dallas Stars were fortunate to leave the state of Florida with two out of four possible points and look to go into the Christmas break with a sharper effort when they host the Calgary Flames on Sunday night. The Stars rallied for a 4-3 overtime win at Tampa Bay on Thursday despite getting outshot 48-20 before giving up seven goals in the first 31:25 en route to a 7-4 setback 24 hours later at Florida.

“We got what was coming to us,” Dallas interim coach Rick Bowness told reporters after Friday’s loss. “Listen, this is a league that if you’re not ready to compete, they can embarrass you, and we got embarrassed tonight by a very highly-skilled team.” Bowness called his team “soft” the last two contests and that must change if it is to extend an eight-game point streak (7-0-1) against the Flames after losing 3-2 in a shootout at home Oct. 10 and winning at Calgary 3-1 on Nov. 13. The Flames were rolling along with a seven-game winning streak until dropping the past three contests, including a 4-3 overtime setback at home against Montreal on Thursday. “We’re not satisfied with a point,” Calgary left wing Matthew Tkachuk told reporters. “We were up 2-0 at one point in the game and up 3-2 with 10 minutes left. The best teams find a way to win that one in regulation and we did a good job a couple weeks ago, but we have to get back to that.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA (Calgary), FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (18-14-5): Left wing Johnny Gaudreau helped set up a pair of goals Thursday and scoring four goals in the previous three games to remain tied with Tkachuk for the team lead with 29 points. Tkachuk recorded his 13th goal Thursday and is second on the team behind fellow forward Elias Lindholm (15), who scored once and set up another against Montreal to snap a four-game point streak. No. 1 goalie David Rittich (15-8-5, 2.77 goals-against average, .913 save percentage) has lost his last two starts after winning five in a row and gaining at least a point in seven straight contests.

ABOUT THE STARS (20-13-4): Center Tyler Seguin, who recorded at least 33 goals in five of his last six seasons, is starting to warm up after a slow start by scoring four times in the last three games to become the third Star to reach 10. Center Roope Hintz leads the team with 12 goals, but has one in the past 10 games, while right wing Alexander Radulov (10 goals) missed Friday’s contest with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Sunday. Ben Bishop was 3-1-2 with 10 goals allowed in his first six starts of December, but was victimized for six tallies on 20 shots against Florida before being pulled.

OVERTIME

1. The Flames entered Saturday fifth in the league in penalty killing (84.4 percent) after going 11-for-12 in the past four games.

2. Dallas RW Corey Perry recorded a pair of assists in Friday’s loss, but has not scored a goal in 15 straight games.

3. Calgary D Noah Hanifin had an assist against Montreal to move within one of 100 for his career.

PREDICTION: Stars 3, Flames 2