Every point matters as standings continue to tighten up

The potential return of Tyler Seguin could be just the boost the Stars need.
Seguin suffered a leg laceration against Buffalo and missed the next six games. He has been skating for about a week and recently had his stitches removed, so he is feeling a lot better. He skated in the morning and participated as a member of the power play, which makes him a game-time decision for an 8:00 p.m. game against the Penguins at American Airlines Center.

Should he play, there's a good chance he will be on a line with Max Domi and the team will again glimpse the chemistry they were hoping for when they acquired Domi from Chicago on March 2. Domi and Seguin played parts of three games together before Seguin was hurt, and then linemate Mason Marchment suffered a knee injury against Seattle and has missed the past five games.
"When we brought Max in here, I think it was with the idea that we had depth to create a pretty good line there with Marchment and Seguin and him potentially. Unfortunately, we got a few games of it and then two of the three guys went down," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to be important down the stretch here that not only do we get some chemistry with those guys, but that our fourth line has got to be better too. They got caved in last game. We've got enough good players that they can bring more to the table for us than they have recently."

There's a chance Ty Dellandrea or Radek Faksa will slide to the fourth line if Seguin is ready, which could give the line a boost.
And it could be a necessary boost to battle against a Penguins team who won in Denver on Wednesday, 5-2. Pittsburgh will be hungry as they continue to fight for a playoff spot.
"It's a big game for us. We need this," Dellandrea said. "It's getting tight up where we're at, so we need these two points. We're focusing on us and our game and bringing everything to the table."

The Stars are coming off an overtime loss to Seattle and would like to snap back. Just as important, Dallas has been trying to balance a high-risk style of play and would like to tighten that up. Dallas leads the NHL in March scoring at 4.75 goals per game but ranks 26th in goals against in that span at 3.64. Goalie Jake Oettinger has struggled in recent performances, but coaches and players have said team defense is a bigger issue.
"We need to help Jakey out, getting back, details," Dellandrea said. "That's our game, we have a strong defensive core, and we use that to our advantage. That's been Dallas Stars hockey for a while. We need to get back to that and keep pucks out of the net."
Key Numbers
8
Dallas is tied for the league lead in goals scored at 6-on-5 or with the goalie pulled late in a game. Jamie Benn scored in the final second against Seattle on Tuesday to send the game to overtime.
200
Stars forward Jason Robertson is scheduled to play his 200th regular season game tonight. He has 214 points so far with 99 goals and 115 assists.
4
Pittsburgh is tied for fourth in overtime goals at 8. Dallas ranks 31st in overtime goals allowed at 11.
He said it
"He's a smart kid. He knows the guys we reference when we're comparing his game and he's smart enough to watch those guys when he's not playing. I think it's important. This is a good opportunity for him to get back in. He's fresh and when he's skating his game is usually in a pretty good place."
- Stars coach Pete DeBoer on defenseman Nils Lundkvist, who has played 2:39 in the past seven games, but will return to the lineup tonight.
Expected Lineup
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Benn-Johnston-Dadonov
Faksa-Domi-Seguin
Kiviranta-Glendening-Dellandrea
Heiskanen-Miller
Lindell-Hakanpää
Suter-Lundkvist
Oettinger
Poirier
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.