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DALLAS -- Scott Glennie and Brenden Dillon, who will make their NHL debuts tonight, skated with the Dallas Stars this morning at American Airlines Center.

Glennie is one of four first round picks from 2009 that has yet to play in an NHL game. He'll take his name off that list tonight.

“I think everyone has got to do their time," said Glennie. "A lot of guys get up here pretty quick, but it was a fun year in the American League. It didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but now I am up here. I am really excited, a little nervous but I am looking forward to get things going here.”

The 21-year-old is expected to play right wing on a line with Loui Eriksson and Tom Wandell. Glennie, who got off a slow start this season in the AHL because of a concussion, has picked up 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) over the past 43 games with the Texas Stars.

"It was bit a slow start with the injury, but the second half went pretty well for myself. I got my feet underneath and had a lot of guys help me out," Glennie said. "It was just getting used to the game. It took a while to get used to the pace and how fast and how big guys are. I think I am used to that now."

Dillon, a free agent signing out of the WHL last year, is a big, mobile two-way defenseman. He has 26 points (5 goals, 21 assists) in 72 games with the Texas Stars.

“A little bit of nervousness, but excited and ready to go," said Dillon. "I’ve been waiting my whole life to get to the NHL and to get a crack at it."

The 21-year-old Dillon will be paired with Trevor Daley on defense. He sees it as a good opportunity to show that he ready to push for a roster spot next season.

“Any time you come up and get a chance to play you want to put your best foot forward," he said. "It kind of sucks to be in the situation we’re in, but it is what it is. We’re going to try to end on a positive note and get two points.”

Several Dallas veterans will sit out tonight's game, some due to injury issues. Among those not playing: Steve Ott, Mike Ribeiro, Stephane Robidas, Sheldon Souray, Radek Dvorak, Toby Petersen and Jake Dowell.

Richard Bachman is in goal for the Stars.

Here's the lineup for the Stars tonight.

R. Smith-Benn-Ryder
Eriksson-Wandell-Glennie
Nystrom-Fiddler-Vincour
Morrow-Garbutt-Burish

Dillon-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen
Jordie Benn-Pardy

Bachman

Stars coach Glen Gulutzan juggled his lines during Tuesday's loss to San Jose, and he'll roll out different lines for Thursday's game in Nashville.

Brenden Morrow will move to a line with Mike Ribeiro and Loui Eriksson. Michael Ryder will now play with Jamie Benn and Steve Ott.

"(Morrow) is feeling a lot better here lately, the last couple games," Gulutzan said. "We'll get a change and try to spread out some of the offense with Benny and Rydes there. We're going to play a real team game."

Right wing Radek Dvorak will be back in the lineup after missing the last five games with an ankle injury. He'll be back on a line with Eric Nystrom and Vernon Fiddler.

Kari Lehtonen is in goal for the Stars. Pekka Rinne is the likely starter in goal for the Predators.

DALLAS -- Stars left wing Eric Nystrom, who has missed the last three game with a leg laceration, will return to the lineup for tonight's crucial game against the San Jose Sharks at American Airlines Center.

Nystrom was injured in the March 24 game against Calgary when he was cut by the skate of Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

Right wing Radek Dvorak, who has missed the last four games with an ankle injury, skated this morning and will be a game-time decision.

Defenseman Philip Larsen, who missed Monday's practice due to illness, skated this morning, but he is listed as a game-time decision as well.

Kari Lehtonen, of course is in net for the Stars.

Here's a projected Dallas lineup if both Dvorak and Larsen play.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Burish
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Morrow-Dowell-Vincour or Garbutt

Souray-Robidas
Fistric-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen

Lehtonen

There are just five games left in the regular season for the Dallas Stars and it kicks off tonight with the first game of a key back-to-back series. The Stars play at Vancouver tonight and then in San Jose tomorrow.

Right now the focus is on the Canucks. Picking up a win or a point will guarantee that the Stars stay on top of the Pacific Division and third in the West for another day.

“It’s kind of fun, it’s kind of nerve-racking, but the message in here – what we keep telling each other – is we control where we go,” Stars forward Adam Burish said. “We control whether we are going to make it or not, and that’s what you want this time of the year.”

The Stars have won two of three games the Canucks, who are the second seed in the West and are three points behind St. Louis in the race for first overall in the conference.

“It’s big. We want the points and we want to beat the Canucks,” said Burish. “The most important thing is finding ways to win games and not losing ground. You win a game you stay in third, you lose a game and you’re in eight, maybe ninth place every night. That’s just how it feels. It’s just controlling what we can, winning games.”

Mark Fistric (abdominal strain), Radek Dvorak (ankle) and Eric Nystrom (leg) are all out tonight. Only Fistric is skating.

Kari Lehtonen gets the start in goal for the Stars.

Roberto Luongo is expected to start in goal for the Canucks.

The Stars will go with basically the same lineup as last game, although it appears they’ll move Tomas Vincour up to the second line and put Burish on the third line. Here’s the Stars’ projected lineup.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Vincour
Morrow-Fiddler-Burish
Smith-Dowell-Garbutt

Souray-Robidas
Pardy-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen

Lehtonen

Stars forward Radek Dvorak will miss tonight's game in Calgary with an ankle injury that forced him to miss three games earlier this month.

"What a warrior, 17 years in the league and getting shot up in the ankle to get through," said Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. "He had a little aggravation from the last game, we sit him here and that’s four days, close to five, and maybe he can be ready for Edmonton. If not, we can go two more and a get a little more healthier player."

Tomas Vincour is expected to take Dvorak's place on a line with Eric Nystrom and Vernon Fiddler.

Ryan Garbutt, who has been a healthy scratch the last four games, is also expected to be in the lineup tonight as well.

Kari Lehtonen gets the start in goal.

Reilly Smith, signed yesterday to an entry-level contract, skated with the team but is still working on getting a work visa so that he can be eligible to play.

Here's the Stars projected lineup.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Burish
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Morrow-Dowell-Garbutt

Souray-Robidas
Pardy-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen

Lehtonen

DALLAS -- While the Dallas Stars will be healthy coming into tonight’s game, it is a different story for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Right wing Radim Vrbata (undisclosed) and left Taylor Pyatt (undisclosed) both left Sunday’s game at Edmonton and are game-time decisions for tonight, according to Phoenix coach Dave Tippett. Vrbata leads Phoenix with 30 goals this season. Defenseman Adrian Aucoin (lower body) is out.

Mike Smith was the first goaltender off the ice for the Coyotes and should be the starter for the Phoenix. No surprise there.

Tonight’s Stars-Coyotes game is one of two big showdowns in the Pacific Division. The Sharks and Kings are playing in Los Angeles as well. The Stars (1st Pacific/3rd West) and Coyotes (2nd Pacific/7th West) are tied at 83 points. The Kings (3rd Pacific/9th West) and Sharks (4th Pacific/10th West) are tied at 82 points.

Tippett has been in this business a long time, and he’s never seen the standing as tight as what’s going on this season.

“The Pacific Division is as tight as it is going to get,” Tippett said. “We always talk about there are two ways to make the playoffs, win your division or make the top eight. I never envisioned them both being so close.”

DALLAS -- Defenseman Sheldon Souray and right wing Radek Dvorak will both be in tonight when the Dallas Stars take on the Phoenix Coyotes at American Airlines Center.

Dvorak has missed the last three games with an ankle injury and Souray has missed the last four with a charley horse.

"I am excited to come back in and be a part of what the guys are doing here and what we are trying to accomplish," Souray said. "It's always a lot more fun to step in the lineup when the games are so meaningful."

First place in the Pacific Division and the third seed in the Western Conference is at stake in tonight's game.

"It's a huge game," said Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. "We're focusing on tonight and how we need to be tonight. It's a division rival, it's the last time we play them and it's our biggest game of the year."

Kari Lehtonen is in goal tonight for the Stars.

Here's what the Stars are expected to roll out for a lineup tonight.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Morrow-Benn-Ott
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Dowell-Wandell-Burish

Souray-Robidas
Goligoski-Larsen
Fistric-Daley

Lehtonen

DALLAS -- Dallas Stars defenseman Philip Larsen, who banged his knee into the endboards in Wednesday's 5-2 loss at Winnipeg, is a game-time decision for tonight's game against Chicago at American Airlines Center.

Larsen skated this morning, but if he can't play, then the Stars will insert Jordie Benn into the lineup.

"Jordie Benn is more than capable to go in if we need him," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said.

Sheldon Souray (charley horse) and Radek Dvorak (ankle) both skated with the team this morning. Neither player will go tonight, but both players should be ready Tuesday.

Kari Lehtonen will start in goal for the Stars tonight. Gulutzan indicated that Lehtonen will play all four games of the homestand.

Corey Crawford gets the nod in net for the Blackhawks.

Richard Bachman will be patrolling the crease tonight when the Dallas Stars take on the Jets in Winnipeg.

Bachman has won his last two starts, stopping 29 shots in a 5-2 win at Vancouver on March 6 and making 26 saves in a 3-1 win at Chicago on February 23. Bachman is 8-3-1 this season with a 2.54 goals against average and .917 save percentage.

The Stars are playing their first game in Winnipeg since April 3, 1996. The NHL returned to Winnipeg when the Atlanta Thrashers franchise was relocated there last spring.

Stars forward Ryan Garbutt is a Winnipeg native, but he didn’t grow up a Jets fan. He was an Edmonton Oilers fan as a kid, but it’s still going to be exciting for Garbutt to play in Winnipeg Wednesday night.

“The whole city was buzzing (when they got the NHL team in the spring). They still are, especially because they are fighting for a playoff spot,” Garbutt said. “It’s a big game for us, so it’s going to be a great feeling to go in there and beat them, especially for me. I don’t have any connection to the Jets. I don’t like them that much.”

Winnipeg is six points out of a playoff spot entering tonight’s game, so they are desperate for points. These big points for the Stars as they are try to maintain their spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

The Stars likely will go with the same lineup tonight. Defenseman Sheldon Souray (lower body) and right wing Radek Dvorak (ankle) remain out.

DALLAS -- Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott both will be in the lineup tonight when the Dallas Stars take on the Anaheim Ducks at American Airlines Center.

Morrow has missed the last 18 games with neck and back issues. He's expected to play on a line with Ott and Jamie Benn, and Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said they'll ease Morrow back into things.

"We're going to manage his minutes," Gulutzan said. "Probably between 10 and 12, or 10 and 14, somewhere in there for the first game in five-and-a-half weeks."

Ott missed the last game with back spasms, but said he felt fine after going through Saturday morning's skate.

"It feels good," Ott said. "I finally got it to loosen up with a lot of rehab over the past couple days."

With Ott and Morrow both returning, the Stars will have to scratch three forwards. Gulutzan said Toby Petersen will be one of the scratches, but the others would be game-time decisions.

With Sheldon Souray out with a lower body injury, Adam Pardy will be back in the lineup. He's expected to be paired with Philip Larsen. The other defensive pairings will be Alex Goligoski-Stephane Robidas and Mark Fistric-Trevor Daley.

Kari Lehtonen is in goal tonight.

DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks square off Thursday at American Airlines Center. It's a big game in the race for the Pacific Division title and the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Stars have a three-point lead over the Sharks, who have two games in hand.

The Sharks come into tonight's game on a 2-7-2 slide, but they have beaten the Stars in all three meetings this season by a combined score of 14-5.

"We haven't really focused on San Jose other than their pre-scout and what they're doing. We've really isolated ourselves to what we need to do and the way we need to approach games," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "But facts are facts and we know we haven't beat them. You look at them in the standings and they're battling with everyone else. ... But we're just focused on how we need to play tonight."

Injury notes: Morrow practices

Stars captain Brenden Morrow, who has missed 17 games with neck/back issues, practiced with the team for the first time since going out of the lineup.

"I feel good. Every day is better than the last," said Morrow, who has been skating for more than a week. "It's just a matter of getting up to game speed now."

Morrow won't play tonight, but there's a chance he could play Saturday against Anaheim.

"I would say Brenden is 60-40 to play against Anaheim, if not then he'll be playing against Minnesota (Tuesday)," Gulutzan said.

Jake Dowell, who has missed the last seven games with a broken finger, skated with the team this morning. He's expected to be available to play Saturday.

Steve Ott left this morning's skate early. He hasn't been feeling well, but Gulutzan said Ott is expected to play tonight.

Lineup notes

Kari Lehtonen in goal for the Stars. Antti Niemi was the first goalie off the ice for the Sharks, so it looks like he'll get the nod in net.

Gulutzan said he'll roll out the same forwards and defensemen as the past several games. Here is the projected lineup.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Burish
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Garbutt-Wandell-Vincour

Souray-Robidas
Fistric-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen

Lehotnen

It looks like the Dallas Stars will go with the same lineup as last game when they take on the Oilers in Edmonton tonight.

Kari Lehtonen will be in goal for the Stars and Nikolai Khabibulin, who will be returning to action from a groin injury, will get the nod in net for the Oilers.

Here's the Stars projected lineup.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Burish
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Garbutt-Wandell-Vincour

Souray-Robidas
Goligoski-Larsen
Fistric-Daley

Lehtonen

DALLAS -- The Pittsburgh Penguins are in town tonight to take on the Dallas Stars. It's another big game for the Stars, who are battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Jamie Benn will return to the Stars lineup after missing the last six games with a leg injury.

"I’m excited. You want to get back in there and help your team out to try and make a strong push for the playoffs," Benn said. "There’s two big points on the line tonight and we need them.”

Kari Lehtonen is in goal for the Stars and Marc-Andre Fleury will get the start for the Penguins.

Sidney Crosby, who is on injured reserve with concussion and neck issues, skated with the Penguins this morning at American Airlines Center.

Jake Dowell (broken finger) skated at the AAC this morning. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said Dowell is one week away. Stars captain Brenden Morrow is expected to start skating later this week and could be ready after the Stars return from their upcoming road trip.

Here's the Stars projected lineup:

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Benn-Burish
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Garbutt-Wandell-Vincour

Souray-Robidas
Fistric-Daley
Goligoski-Larsen

Lehtonen

Every game is big at this point of the season and the importance of Thursday's game isn’t lost on the Dallas Stars. A win will help them move them within to at least one point of eighth place and, if Calgary loses to Phoenix, the Stars would move into the top eight in the West.

“We look every single day to see what the Western Conference standings look like. We want to be a playoff team obviously and continue to build from there,” said Stars forward Steve Ott. “You look at even third place isn’t too far away. I know it’s stretching and not being completely realistic at this time, but it’s becoming a lot closer every single day. Hopefully we can find a way to continue to get points.”

Third place in the West is a stretch, but not totally out of reach. The Stars are five points behind San Jose, but the Sharks do have a couple games in hand.

But right now just getting into the playoff picture is the goal, and to do that and solidify a spot the Stars are going to have to do something they really haven’t done since the beginning of the season – put together a good run.

“If we can find a way to put three, four or above (wins) together that’s going to continue to a put pressure on a lot of other teams,” Ott said. “You’ve seen streaks already. Phoenix had a great streak they just put together and that’s why they are where they are right now. We need to find one. We need to find a way to string a few together and collect those valuable points at this crunch time of the season.”

Lineup notes

Sheldon Souray will be back after missing seven games with a foot injury and will be paired with Philip Larsen to start the game, according to Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. Adam Pardy will be the healthy scratch.

“The last three games he’s played real well,” Gulutzan said of Pardy. “It’s real good to have that depth on D, and we’ve got competition again. I think Pards have proved his worth coming back in here a little bit and got himself back on the map to play. Now we’ve got some competition for jobs.”

Adam Burish, who missed the last game due to illness, will be back in the lineup. He will play on the fourth line with Ryan Garbutt and Toby Petersen. Garbutt will play center, which is his natural position.

Matt Fraser, called up from the Texas Stars due to Jake Dowell breaking a finger, will be a healthy scratch.

Jamie Benn (leg) and Brenden Morrow (neck/shoulder) are still out.

Richard Bachman is in goal tonight.

Here’s the Stars’ projected lineup.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Wandell-Vincour
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Petersen-Garbutt-Burish

Goligoski-Robidas
Fistric-Daley
Souray-Larsen

Bachman

Stars forward Loui Eriksson's wife had a baby girl yesterday morning. Eriksson stayed in Dallas for the birth, arrived in Montreal this morning and is expected to be in the lineup for tonight's game against the Canadiens.

Defenseman Sheldon Souray (foot) and center Jamie Benn (leg) are out for tonight's game. Souray should be ready for Thursday's game at Chicago. Benn's status for Thursday is up in the air.

"He's got a couple more days here," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said of Benn. "He wants to play in Chicago, and we'll see. He's getting better every day and that is the encouraging sign."

Gulutzan said Benn is recovering from more than just the skate cut on his left thigh.

"There's a charley horse in there, too. It's not just a cut," Gulutzan said. "It's a laceration with a blow."

Kari Lehtonen is in goal tonight and the rest of the lineup is expected to be the same as the past couple games as well.

Eriksson-Ribeiro-Ryder
Ott-Wandell-Vincour
Nystrom-Fiddler-Dvorak
Garbutt-Dowell-Burish

Goligoski-Robidas
Fistric-Daley
Pardy-Larsen

Lehtonen