Dallas @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 28, 2019 ) Dallas 4, Los Angeles 3

The Dallas Stars returned from the Christmas break by winning each of their next four games to build momentum and gain ground in the standings. After another break in their schedule, the well-rested Stars aim to pick up where they left off when they open a four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

"The problem with the five-day break is you're not playing and everybody else was moving up in the standings on you. They've closed the gap a little bit," Dallas interim coach Rick Bowness said. "The rest was important. ... We should feel really good going into that game (Wednesday)." Roope Hintz recorded a goal and an assist in Friday's 4-1 victory over Detroit to extend his point streak to four games, during which he has two and three, respectively. While the Stars are ascending, the Kings have countered a 4-0-1 stretch with losses in six of their last eight contests (2-5-1) entering the finale of their four-game homestand. Alex Iafallo has scored a goal in each of the last three outings and recorded at least a point in a career-high seven in a row (four goals, four assists).

TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE STARS (24-14-4): Dallas may need to reach out to Texas of the American Hockey League given that offensive-minded defenseman John Klingberg (lower body) and stay-at-home blue-liner Roman Polak (illness) didn't practice on Tuesday. "He's day to day and we'll see how he is (Wednesday)." Bowness said of Klingberg, who had five assists in a three-game stretch before sitting out against the Red Wings. Tyler Seguin, who leads the team in assists (21) and points (32), collected nine points in an eight-game stretch before being held off the scoresheet in his last two contests.

ABOUT THE KINGS (17-23-4): Captain Anze Kopitar has amassed nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last 10 games to elevate his team-leading totals in goals (15), assists (23) and points (38). The 32-year-old Slovene set up Iafallo's goal in Monday's 4-2 setback to Columbus to boost his career assist total to 599, but Los Angeles needs a great deal more in the eyes of coach Todd McLellan if the team is going to contend on a nightly basis. "We have to play an A game to score," McLellan said. "We need tremendous goaltending. We need good penalty kill. We've got to prevent goals to have success. ... But some nights we just don't get all of that at the same time and it costs us."

OVERTIME

1. Los Angeles G Jonathan Quick owns a 17-11-3 record with two shutouts in 31 career appearances (30 starts) versus Dallas.

2. Hintz scored in overtime to give the Stars a 4-3 victory over the Kings in their last visit to the Staples Center on Feb. 28.

3. Dallas sports a 7-2-2 record against Pacific Division adversaries.

PREDICTION: Stars 4, Kings 2