Coyotes host Stars after much-needed holiday break
Martin Hanzal had three goals and two assists against the Dallas Stars last season.
The Coyotes have had three days off since their last game -- a welcome breather in what has become a frustrating start to the season.
They get back into action Tuesday night with a home game against the Dallas Stars, attempting to halt a four-game losing streak.
The game can be seen on FOX Sports Arizona and FOX Sports GO, starting at 6:30 p.m.
"I think our team needs a break," coach Dave Tippett said following Friday night's loss to Toronto. "We're struggling to score goals and we're making some mistakes at key times that are coming back to bite us. We've got to evaluate where we are -- step back and look at few things and regroup."
The Coyotes have lost 10 of 13 games in December (3-8-2) and have managed just 25 goals during that stretch. Part of the problem stems from the team's poor possession numbers. They rank last in the NHL with a Corsi For percentage at 45.35 and have the second-worst goal differential in the league at minus-33.
"Our puck play continues to bite us a bit," Tippett said.
This is the fourth in a five-game homestand for the Arizona (11-18-5), with the first three resulting in losses to Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto. It will be the first of three meetings with the Stars (14-14-7), who are 19 points behind last year's pace after 35 games. Dallas has given up 106 goals -- a total exceeded only by Vancouver, Arizona and Philadelphia.
"It's easy to panic, but I think that creates a bad environment," Stars general manager Jim Nill told the Dallas Morning News. "If you stay calm and have confidence in your team, I think that's the best way to lead."
Dallas' struggles are largely tied to a staggering rash of injuries. Top-nine forwards Ales Hemsky (hip), Mattias Janmark (knee), Patrick Sharp (concussion), Cody Eakin (knee) (undisclosed), Jason Spezza (lower body) and Jiri Hudler (illness) have all missed significant portions of the season. Only the Edmonton Oilers have lost more man-games to injury in the Western Conference.
"It doesn't make you change your plan, but you are a different team," Nill said. "The coaches are coaching a different team, so they have to coach it differently. The team we envisioned at the start of the year, we're going to get there ... but the reality is this isn't that team yet, so you have to do what you can to win games now."
Center Tyler Seguin (11 goals, 22 assists) has been his usual productive self for Dallas, and Patrick Eaves has contributed 12 goals.
Stars coach Lindy Ruff has not announced which goalie will start in Arizona, but Kari Lehtonen won his last game and has played well on the road recently. Eakin is suspended one more game for his hit on New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist on Dec. 15, but the Stars could get Sharp back in the lineup.
Defenseman Jakob Chychrun (upper body) and right winger Ryan White (lower body) are expected back in the lineup after missing Friday's game, but forwards Max Domi (broken hand) and Brad Richardson (broken leg) remain out indefinitely.
Radim Vrbata leads the Coyotes with eight goals and 22 points. Captain Shane Doan scored the 400th goal of his career while playing in his 1,500th game in Friday night's loss to the Maple Leafs.
