DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars are looking for consistency when they host the New York Rangers on Thursday at American Airlines Center.
The Stars (12-13-6) play the second contest of a five-game homestand, one which coach Lindy Ruff said could define the struggling team's season. The Stars opened the homestand with a 6-2 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
"It's important. We all realize where we're at in the standings and how we've been playing to start the year," Stars captain Jamie Benn said. "We see this homestand as a big one for us. Like you said, it could be make or break and we want to be making something of this. We got one tonight and we'll regroup and get ready for the next one."
The Stars scored five goals in a span of six minutes, 43 seconds against the Ducks, and goalie Antti Niemi made 34 saves to improve to 6-1-1 at home. The Finnish goalie was playing for the first time in five games, and said getting a quick start was important for his confidence.
Against Anaheim, Niemi made several key saves in the first period, including a stop on a 3-on-1 and a stop on a breakaway on the same shift.
The Rangers (20-10-1) have been riding Antti Raanta's hot hand and the back-up goalie made four consecutive starts. He won three straight games and posted back-to-back shutouts before the Rangers lost to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday 2-1.
While Raanta played well in the loss, Henrik Lundqvist will likely start against the Stars and Raanta said he's well aware the Swede is the Rangers starter.
"It's special when you can steal starts from Hank," Raanta said on Tuesday.
No matter who starts in goal, the Rangers rely on one of the NHL's best offenses this season. New York scored a league-best 106 goals through 31 games, and 14 players have at least 12 points, including leading-scorer J.T. Miller with 22.
Miller has been one of the NHL's breakout stars this season. He had 43 points in 82 games last season and is on pace to set a career high in his third professional season.
The Stars led the NHL in goals last season, but have yet to find the offensive spark on a consistent basis. They've scored 11 goals in their last two home games, but scored only three goals during back-to-back road losses sandwiched in between the victories.
Ruff is hopeful his lineup will build off the win against Anaheim, and the Stars should be better as injured players return to form. Jiri Hudler had his first point of the season against the Ducks, while defenseman Johnny Oduya played his second game after returning from injury and had an assist.
The Stars will also have Jamie Oleksiak back as a lineup option against the Rangers. The 6-foot-7 defenseman was suspended two games for a hit to the head on Philadelphia's Chris VandeVelde on Saturday.
Oleksiak had been playing some of his best hockey this season before the suspension. While Oleksiak has only played in 13 of the Stars' first 31 games, Ruff said his play recently dictated he should be in the lineup.
