Avalanche vs. Stars game preview: Colorado aims to remain perfect at home

The Colorado Avalanche welcome the Dallas Stars on Monday night as a deplete team already struggling to score goals, hoping to remain unbeaten at home while facing an increasingly-desperate team.

The Avalanche will be without defenseman Ryan Wilson (ankle) and forwards Gabriel Landeskog (head) and David Jones (knee) on Monday night, with the Avs already scoring just 2.38 goals per game while struggling with the league's worst power play unit having converted just twice this season on the man advantage. Colorado has rebounded from a three-game skid, however, scoring nine total goals in wins over Calgary and Edmonton to get to 4-4-0 on the season.

While Colorado has certainly struggled to put the puck in the net, the Stars have now slipped to No. 29 in the NHL at just 1.78 goals per game and most of the scoring woes have come on the road. The Stars have scored just four goals in five road games this season and have been shutout twice, most recently putting just 17 shots on goal in a 2-0 loss to Phoenix on Saturday night.

The Stars will get center Derek Roy back on the ice at just the right time, as winger Ray Whitney will be out four-to-six weeks with a fracture in his foot.

Puck is set to drop at 9 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network in the first nationally televised game of the season for both teams. TSN will be carrying the game in Canada.