Scouting the Stars

Tonight’s game is the fourth of six meetings this season between the Kings and the Dallas Stars. The Kings won 1-0 on Oct. 22 at Staples Center and won 5-3 on Oct. 27 on Dallas, then lost 3-2 in overtime on Nov. 23 in Dallas after they allowed a last-minute goal. It will be a battle of the backups in goal, as the Kings start Jonathan Bernier and the Stars start Richard Bachman. Dallas’ No. 1 goalie, Kari Lehtonen, is hurt, and Andrew Raycroft allowed five goals in each of his last two starts, so the Stars turn to Bachman, who will make his first NHL start. (Minnesota’s Matt Hackett made his first NHL start Thursday and beat the Kings.) Bachman, a fourth-round pick of the Stars in 2006, played one period on Thursday against San Jose and stopped all 11 shots he faced. For the latest on the Stars, check out the blog by the great Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News, followed by tonight’s expected lineups for both teams and the Stars’ full roster…

The Dallas Morning News Stars blog

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KINGS LINEUP
Penner-Kopitar-Brown
Gagne-Loktionov-Williams
Richardson-Stoll-Hunter
Clifford-Fraser-Westgarth

Scuderi-Doughty
Mitchell-Voynov
Johnson-Greene

Bernier
Quick

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STARS LINEUP
Loui Eriksson-Jamie Benn-Michael Ryder
Brenden Morrow-Mike Ribeiro-Steve Ott
Eric Nystrom-Vernon Fiddler-Radek Dvorak
Jake Dowell-Tom Wandell-Tomas Vincour

Sheldon Souray-Stephane Robidas
Nicklas Grossman-Trevor Daley
Alex Goligoski-Philip Larsen

Richard Bachman
Andrew Raycroft

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STARS ROSTER
2 — Nicklas Grossman — D
3 — Stephane Robidas — D
6 — Trevor Daley — D
10 — Brenden Morrow — LW
11 — Jake Dowell — C
14 — Jamie Benn — LW
17 — Toby Petersen — C
20 — Radek Dvorak — RW
21 — Loui Eriksson — LW
23 — Tom Wandell — C
24 — Eric Nystrom — LW
27 — Adam Pardy — D
28 — Mark Fistric — D
29 — Steve Ott — LW
33 — Alex Goligoski — D
36 — Philip Larsen — D
38 — Vernon Fiddler — C
44 — Sheldon Souray — D
63 — Mike Ribeiro — C
73 — Michael Ryder — RW
81 — Tomas Vincour — C

30 — Andrew Raycroft — G
31 — Richard Bachman — G

Injured-reserve list
16 — Adam Burish — RW
32 — Kari Lehtonen — G