SoCal NHL Report

Anaheim (4-4-1) at Dallas (3-2-2) 5:00 pm, FSNPT
DALLAS (Ticker) -- While they may be the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Anaheim Ducks are on the verge of a franchise-worst start on the road. The Ducks look to get their first road win of the season when they travel to American Airlines Center to play the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

Anaheim opened last season winning 12 of 15 games on the road and did not lose its fourth road game until mid-December. This season has been a completely different story as the Ducks have stumbled out of gate with a 0-3-1 road mark. In home games - including the one in England at the start of the season - Anaheim has outscored its opponents by a 15-8 count. In road games, however, the team has scored just seven times while allowing 16 goals. If they want to end their road woes, they will need to halt their struggles against the Stars. Since its inaugural 1993-94 season, Anaheim is just 7-23-3 with two ties versus Dallas.

The Stars, who have won at least 28 home games during the last two seasons, are 2-0-1 here thus far. In their 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, reserve netminder Mike Smith stepped in for Marty Turco - who was nursing a sore leg - and made 33 saves. Smith has been outstanding in three career games against Anaheim, going 2-0-0 with a shutout and an 0.43 goals-against average.