Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin benched for disciplinary reasons

Dallas Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin will not start in goal on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks. He won't even be on the bench. 

Stars head coach Rick Bowness said Saturday that Khudobin will be scratched as the team handles an "internal issue," according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. 

"We're a family, and we'll deal with things internally," Bowness said. "But you deal with things by communicating and making your feelings known on what it and what isn't acceptable. I have very few rules, but you [darn] well better follow them."

Khudobin did not participate in practice on Saturday but took shots from players on the taxi squad. It's unclear what the netminder did to cause a rift with the team. 

The 34-year-old is 3-2-1 this season with a 2.51 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. Khudobin started three-of-four games for the Stars on their recent road trip, going 0-2-1 with a .864 save percentage and 4.31 GAA.

Stars 2017 first-round pick Jake Oettinger will start in goal for Dallas on Sunday. The 22-year-old was elevated to the main roster this season after Ben Bishop underwent offseason knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

The Stars hadn't had a disciplinary issue since Jim Montgomery benched Alexander Radulov in 2019 for being late to a morning skate.