Preview: Behind a well-balanced and productive offense, the Wild opens a two-game homestand with a matchup against Dallas — the team that beat it in six games in last spring's Western Conference quarterfinals. The Wild leads the Western Conference with 28 goals and is 3-0-0 at Xcel Energy Center this season. The injury-riddled Stars have been inconsistent and are coming off a 4-1 loss at Winnipeg on Thursday.

Players to watch: Wild D Ryan Suter is tied for first among NHL defensemen with nine points (three goals, six assists). In his past two games, he has two goals, two assists and is plus-6. Wild G Devan Dubnyk has stopped 126 of 130 shots over his past four games, earning back-to-back shutouts in the past two. C Tyler Seguin leads the Stars with four goals and three assists, and rookie C Devin Shore is second on the team — and tied for fifth among NHL rookies — with six points.

Numbers: The Wild's penalty kill has an NHL-best success rate of 95.6 percent, killing 22 of 23 penalties this season. The Stars' special teams both are ranked 20th in the league standings; the power play has five goals on 31 chances (16.1 percent), and the penalty kill has stopped opponents on 23 of 30 attempts (76.7 percent). All 20 of the Wild's skaters have at least one point, and Mikael Granlund is the only forward who has yet to score a goal.

Injuries: Wild C Erik Haula (foot) is out, and D Marco Scandella (lower-body injury) is day-to-day. Stars C Jason Spezza (lower-body injury) is day-to-day, and C Cody Eakin (knee), LW Mattias Janmark (knee), RW Jiri Hudler (illness), RW Patrick Sharp (concussion) and RW Ales Hemsky (groin) are out.

RACHEL BLOUNT