COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sweat poured down off Mattias Norstrom's bald head Monday morning and trickled over a scar under his left eye. His body was soaked, but he said that was a good thing.

"It feels good," the Stars defenseman said of a heavy workout during the team's morning skate. "I needed that."

Norstrom missed his 13th consecutive game because of a fractured orbital bone and a torn ligament around his eye, but he was cleared by doctors to play Monday. Stars coaches decided not to put him in the lineup just yet, but they say he could be in the lineup Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks.

Meanwhile, they say bringing Norstrom on the road for the last three games of a tough trip paid dividends.

"You have to get him integrated into the group," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "With our schedule the way that it is, it's hard to practice, so the practices we do get, he needs to be around."

Norstrom was only in one practice and one workout during the trip, but he took part in three morning skates. He said that was just as important as any practice he could have had.

"I could have skated in Dallas by myself and been on the ice three times a day, but you can't replace this," Norstrom said.

"Even a morning skate ... you are in the mode of preparing for a game, crisp passing, up-tempo skating. You have to get in that game mode to make the right, quick decision. I think this will help me a lot."

Tippett said he likes the chemistry of the defense group he's been using, so he will have a tough choice Wednesday whether to break up the current six and insert Norstrom into the lineup.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Tippett said.

Conner making mark: After two healthy scratches, winger Chris Conner has come back and tallied eight shots in his last three games. He scored a goal Monday, his third of the season.

"You just keep going every shift," he said of his strategy. "I just keep working hard and keep moving my feet."

Briefly: Antti Miettinen (groin) was held out of the game as a precaution. Krys Barch was a healthy scratch. ... The Stars are 20-3-3 against the Blue Jackets. Only Colorado has a better record against Columbus (22-1-2). ... The Stars have allowed the first goal 13 times this season, but are 7-5-1 when doing so. Dallas is 6-1-0 the last seven times it has yielded the first goal. ... To make room for Norstrom on the roster, the Stars moved Jere Lehtinen (sports hernia) to injured reserve.