Dallas Stars Kick Off February Campaign Against Jets
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars kick off a frightening February campaign tonight. First stop: Winnipeg, Manitoba for a date with Central Division rival, the Winnipeg Jets.
The 2016 NHL All-Star Weekend is in the rearview mirror and the NHL is reassembling for the home stretch. Most teams have somewhere between 30-35 games left in their season, including the Dallas Stars who have 32. The battle for Central Division supremacy continues tonight from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the Stars are set to take on the Winnipeg Jets.
The game will be broadcasted on Fox Sports Southwest (FSSW), and you can also hear it on 1310AM/96.7FM The Ticket. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Records and Scores
The Dallas Stars did not have as successful of a January slate as they had wanted, but a fresh month means new opportunities. After a week off, the Stars currently sit with a record of 31-14-5 with 67 points, which is good enough for second place in the Central Division and Western Conference. They are a mere three points behind the first place spot and have three games in hand.
Their most recent affair came as a 2-1 squeaker win against the Calgary Flames last Monday night. They are 2-2-1 in their last five games.
The Winnipeg Jets, on the other hand, have seen better days. After a promising season last year that ended in a playoff berth, the Jets have not lived up to expectations this year. They boast a record of 22-24-3 with 47 points. They are dead last in the Central Division and nine points away from a wild card playoff spot. Their most recent contest comes as a 5-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. They are 2-3-0 in their last five games.
Storylines
Dallas Stars in Central Division dogfight the rest of the way
The Dallas Stars took the week off in order to reset their heads and recharge their batteries. After a 2-1 win against the Flames last Monday that capped off an ugly 3-6-2 January showing, they needed a break to figure out how to change some of their deficiencies.
Let’s hope they figured it out, because if not, the Stars are in trouble. Over the final 32 games, the Stars have 16 scheduled against Central Division opponents. They have an 8-4-1 record in Central Division play this season, but the division is still tight. The Stars are only 11 points away from the final wild card spot, and there are plenty of Central opponents closing in just below them.
If the Stars are to last in this home stretch and come out with a prime playoff spot, they will need to counter each punch thrown at them by the Central Division. If not, things could get ugly.
Some Jets may not be Jets much longer
The Winnipeg Jets are in quite the pickle. They currently trail the second wild card spot by nine points and sit at the bottom of the division. All the teams are slowly starting to heat up as the playoff push becomes more relevant, and the Jets will have a lot of trouble covering ground in so little time. Basically, they are in the same spot the Dallas Stars were in last year, only a touch worse.
With stumbling comes the possibility of change. With the trade deadline less than four weeks away, the Jets could very well be end up being sellers. A few names in the mix include powerful defenseman Dustin Byfuglien and forward Andrew Ladd. If one or both of those players are dealt, the Jets are definitely entering rebuild mode. Things are looking bleak in Winnipeg, and the Jets could definitely use two points tonight.
Injury report
The Dallas Stars should be playing with a healthy roster tonight. D Jordie Benn (lower body) missed the last four games but should be back in the lineup tonight.
The Winnipeg Jets will be minus the services of G Ondrej Pavelec (knee) and D Grant Clitsome (back). LW Adam Lowry (upper body) and C Mathieu Perreault (lower body) are both game-time decisions.
Projected lines
Dallas Stars
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Patrick Sharp
Mattias Janmark – Jason Spezza – Patrick Eaves
Antoine Roussel – Cody Eakin – Ales Hemsky
Colton Sceviour – Vernon Fiddler – Valeri Nichushkin
Alex Goligoski – John Klingberg
Jyrki Jokipakka – Jamie Oleksiak
More stars: Tyler Seguin Should Probably Stick To Hockey
Winnipeg Jets
Nikolaj Ehlers – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault – Bryan Little – Drew Stafford
Andrew Ladd – Adam Lowry – Alex Burmistrov
Chris Thorburn – Andrew Copp – Joel Armia
Jacob Trouba – Dustin Byfuglien
Tobias Enstrom – Tyler Myers
Next: Stars High Hopes Could Be Crushed In February 2016 Schedule
Prediction
The Dallas Stars will jump back on the horse tonight and start of February with no signs of a slump. They will knock off the Jets 3-1 and slide to one point behind the Chicago Blackhawks for first place in the Central Division.