(My Sportsbook) - The Los Angeles Kings will try to avoid a fourth consecutive loss when they visit the rival Dallas Stars for this afternoon's Pacific Division battle at American Airlines Center.

The Kings dropped the final three tests on a four-game homestand that began with a win over Anaheim on January 8. All three setbacks came in regulation and Los Angeles was outscored by a combined 12-2 margin in those defeats.

The most recent defeat came Thursday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper each had a goal and an assist, as visiting Detroit blanked the Kings, 4-0, at Staples Center.

Jonathan Quick allowed four goals on 31 shots to take the loss for the Kings, who have also lost four of their last five outings.

LA is currently last in the Pacific with 40 points, but Dallas is just three points ahead in fourth place.

Today marks the start of a three-game road trip for the Kings, who are just 5-9-0 as the visiting team and have lost five of their last seven road tilts.

LA will visit Minnesota on Tuesday before capping the swing Wednesday night in Colorado. The Kings are actually playing eight of their next nine games on the road, beginning with this afternoon's test.

The Stars have lost three of their last four games, but have managed to record a point in three straight contests (1-0-2). Dallas has gone past regulation in three straight games and picked up its only win in that stretch with Monday's 5-4 decision against Detroit.

Dallas hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday and was handed a close loss, as Jason Pominville tallied in the sixth round of the shootout to lift the Sabres to the 5-4 road victory at American Airlines Arena.

Matt Niskanen, Brad Richards, Trevor Daley and Steve Ott scored for the Stars. Marty Turco stopped 31-of-35 shots while picking up an assist.

The Stars, who are completing a three-game homestand today, are 10-6-4 as the host this season and have won six of their last eight in Dallas. The club will play its next two games in Florida, visiting Tampa Bay on Monday before battling the Panthers in Sunrise two days later.

The Kings are 2-0 against Dallas this year, posting a home shootout victory on November 11 before beating the Stars in Texas just two days later. Both wins came by a 3-2 score.

LA has taken four of five and six of nine from the Stars in this series. The Kings have also won two straight in Dallas, but had lost their previous seven stops in Big D.