Morning Skate: Stars, hide your fires

After Dallas knocked off Columbus 2-1 last night, the Stars sit 2 points behind Detroit in the West. A Dallas win would tie them with Detroit (although the Wings would have a game in hand) or they would could slip further back with a loss. Detroit had a rather forgettable outing against the Blackhawks on Friday but are surely looking to pick things back up and get back on the horse.

A lot of the focus for today's game is going to be on one Christopher John Wadsworth Osgood. Osgood is heading for that coveted 400 wins but has Loui Eriksson, Brad Richards and Brendan Morrow of the Dallas Stars in front of that plateau. Osgood will need to be on his game because the Stars usually play pretty tight games and he can't afford to give up much.

Defending Big D is your SB Nation source for Dallas Stars.

More after the jump and the form.

• First bit of business, this is a FIVE O'CLOCK GAME.
• As stated, Chris Osgood will get the start at home for the chance to win his 400th career game. I really hope he gets it tonight for two reasons: 1. I really hate losing and 2. these types of milestone games always seem to hang over a player's head forever. Osgood has been waiting for 400 for quite sometime and now that it's within reach, I'd really like to see him get it in his first chance since getting 399, instead of waiting 4 more games.
  
• As stated in that last bullet point, I'd like to see him get it and I think that he will get it, too. In the two games since returning from that groin injury, Ozzie has been pretty sharp. I think he carries that confidence into tonight's game and combined with the next bullet point, the Wings take it. So the question goes to you, does Oz win 400 today in Detroit?
  
• That loss to the Blackhawks is embarassing. Talk up the "defending Stanley Cup champs beat us" aspect if you want but there is no reason for this Wings team to lose to that Blackhawks by a score like that. Expect a better effort today in front of the home crowd and against one of the West's better (in the standings at least) teams. Which team takes the ice tonight? The team that spanked the Blues or the team that got slapped around by the Blackhawks?
• And if that Blackhawks game wasn't motivation enough, how about the last time these two teams met? Ouch.
• The Stars have been a bit of surprise this season, compared to last year's squad. Is that success hinged on Marty Turco/Mike Modano leaving in favor of some newer/younger blood? Or do the pieces just fit together better this year?
  
• Looking at the schedule though, is this Stars team really that good? I submit to you this little nugget: 13 of their 19 wins have come by 1 goal and 7 of those 13 have been in overtime or the shootout. Essentially, this team is a 26 goals given up away from being Islanders level of bad.
• But they're not, and the Wings need to treat them as a tough challenge or they're going to be looking at streak of 2 games in a row.
• Good Morrow! Where've you Benn? Have you seen the Daley newspaper? You Ott to read the article about how Neal-ing is bad for you. Don't Lehtonen that Segal in here!....I'll stop now and go back in the corner.
• I'll trade you this delicious Hudler for your crummy old Loui Eriksson. Done and done! (if only Brian Burke ran the Stars...)
• Around the league: The Caps lost again and their losing streak is now EIGHT games. They sit THIRD in the SOUTHEAST division behind ATLANTA and TAMPA BAY. I know that's a lot of CAPITAL leTterS but that's how strange this all is. Question for you all: is this a team problem or has Bruce Boudreau lost his sausage-like grip on the team?
  
• Score Prediction: 4-2 Detroit. I can feel it in me bones.
• Player of the Game: Chris Osgood--if I'm going with a Detroit win, why not?
• Off-topic: What's your favorite constellation? Yes, I'm really asking this.I only know Orion, so that's what I'm going with. Men in Black what what!