Pregame: Stars @ Red Wings – 12/4

The Red Wings look to rebound from their disappointing Tuesday loss to the Florida Panthers tonight as they host the Dallas Stars.

Detroit has taken at least a point in ten of their last 12 games against Dallas, a stretch reaching back to 2010. The current Stars sit in a three-way tie for the penultimate spot in the Western Conference standings, while the Red Wings are four points back of the top spot in the league with a game in hand on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As expected, Justin Abdelkader will remain out of the Red Wings’ lineup. The team continues to call him day-to-day, though his earliest suggested return is Sunday in Carolina.

Daniel Cleary and Brian Lashoff are expected to be Detroit’s healthy scratches, though Cleary could swap in as . Jimmy Howard will start in goal.

Stupid stat of the day: The Red Wings have never played the Stars on December 4. The team they’ve played the most on that date is the New York Rangers, who are their next opponent.

Game time is 7:30 PM on FSD.