NEWS » aging two goals, 3.3 assists,

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Stars acquired veteran defenseman Ben Lovejoy in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.The Stars sent defenseman Connor Carrick and a 2019 third-round draft pick to the Devils in the deal reached two days before the NHL’s trade deadline.Lovejoy is an 11-year veteran and defensive specialist who won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. He was second on the Devils with 77 blocked shots while playing a key penalty-killing role. He has two goals and seven points in 51 games this season and 20 goals and 99 points in 524 career games.General manager Jim Nill called Lovejoy “an experienced Detroit Red Wings Hats Authentic , battle-tested player who has a track record of performing in meaningful late-season games.”With Marc Methot out after season-ending knee surgery last month and Stephen Johns (neck/head) having not played this season, Lovejoy is a boost to the Dallas defense. The Stars reacquired defenseman Jamie Oleksiak from Pittsburgh in a trade last month.The trade comes with Dallas seeking to keep pace in the congested Western Conference playoff race in which five points separate the seventh-place Stars and 12th-place Vancouver.Dallas was 2-4-1 in its past seven games going into Saturday’s home game against Carolina. The Stars were coming off a 5-2 win Thursday over St. Louis that snapped a franchise-record 11-game winning streak by the Blues.New Jersey was 14th in the 16-team Eastern Conference.The 24-year-old Carrick had a goal and four points in 14 games with the Stars this season.Lovejoy was a healthy scratch when the Devils played Thursday against Ottawa. Lovejoy had a plus-one rating in his 51 games, one of only two New Jersey’s regulars in the positive. St. Louis Blues (37-27-7, third in the Central Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (30-32-9 Custom Detroit Red Wings Jerseys , sixth in the Atlantic Division)Buffalo, New York; Sunday, 5 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Buffalo comes into the matchup with St. Louis after losing seven straight games.The Sabres are 19-12-4 on their home ice. Buffalo has scored 38 power-play goals, converting on 18.2 percent of chances.The Blues are 20-12-5 in road games. St. Louis has converted on 20.4 percent of power-play opportunities www.officialoilers.com , recording 43 power-play goals. In their last meeting on Dec. 27, St. Louis won 4-1. Alexander Steen recorded a team-high two assists for the Blues in the victory.TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel leads the Sabres with 47 assists and has collected 72 points this season. Conor Sheary has recorded 6 points over the last 10 games for Buffalo.LAST 10 GAMES: Blues: 4-4-2, averaging 2.3 goals, four assists Edmonton Oilers T-Shirts Authentic , 2.9 penalties and 6.1 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game with a .925 save percentage.Sabres: 1-8-1, averaging two goals, 3.3 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.7 goals per game with a .894 save percentage.Sabres Injuries: Marco Scandella: day to day (upper body) Edmonton Oilers Hoodies Authentic , Jake McCabe: out (upper body).Blues Injuries: Sammy Blais: out (undisclosed), Vladimir Tarasenko: day to day (upper body), Joel Edmundson: out (lower body).