The set-up: the 5-6-3 Dallas Star will be on the road tonight against the surprising 9-4-1 Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers (just 31-43-8, 70 points last season) have not made the playoffs since 2005-06 and return home for a pair of games, after finishing 2-2-1 on the team's recent road trip. Dallas captain Jamie Benn snapped a nine-game goal drought with a pair of goals Thursday in Dallas' 4-2 victory at Calgary, just the Stars' second win over their last eight games (2-4-2).

Dallas: The Stars had given up 28 goals in seven games before holding the Flames to a pair of goals on 32 shots. Dallas blanked Calgary on two man-advantage chances, after yielding nine power-play goals in the previous eight contests. Goalie Kari Lehtonen backstopped the Stars with 29 saves against Calgary, although it's expected that Antti Niemi (3-2-1, .892 save percentage) will be net on Friday.

Edmonton: The Oilers survived a difficult road trip and only get two home games before another tough road stretch. Goalie Cam Talbot has decent numbers overall (8-4-1, 2.49 GAA & .921 save percentage) but has surrendered three or more goals in his last four outings. It's possible that Jonas Gustavsson could make just his second start and third appearance of the season. Gustavsson is 3-0-1 in four appearances, including three starts, with a 2.43 goals-against average and .910 save percentage versus the Stars.

The pick: The Edmonton Oilers are not about to say they're as good as the teams that won the Stanley Cup five times between 1983 and 1990, as they have missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons, while finishing higher than 10th in the Western Conference just once during that span. However, they may just be starting to get used to their perch atop the Pacific Division. Edmonton is an 8* play.