Dallas Stars Get Back to Blackhawks
The Dallas Stars will look to set the record straight in their third meeting with the Blackhawks this season and gain substantial ground on their division-leading opponent.
After a head-hanging 5-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in their last match-up this Saturday, the Dallas Stars went on to recover their wits and comeback magic against the Wild in a rather lopsided and undeserved 4-3 overtime win on the road.
The Stars will aim to build on that performance to narrow the Blackhawk’s lead on the Central division. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. from United Center, and will be broadcasted on Fox Sports Southwest (FSSW). You can also hear it on 1310AM/96.7FM The Ticket.
Records and Scores
The Dallas Stars are currently sitting on a one-game win streak and only three points back from the Blackhawks in the division standings. So the Stars will have extra motivation not to spoil it. January put some extra weight into the middle of the Stars’ 34-15-5 record, but if they prevail over the Blackhawks, it could be a sign that things are looking up.
The Blackhawks were eager to gobble up the Stars’ divisional lead, and their 57 points and 36-17-4 record put them at the top. However, being shut out by San Jose 2-0 at home to start their four-game home stand was probably not what the Blackhawks had in mind. The loss will either fuel them to come back fast and furious, or will weigh them down when the Stars come to town tonight.
Storylines
Everybody wants to rule the world
If you look at the Stars’ and Blackhawks’ seasons side by side, you’ll see that they’ve been very similar. While the Stars started on the upswing and plowed straight into trouble, the Blackhawks have been the other way around, finding their season’s sweet spot more recently.
Not to mention that these two teams have struggled in similar areas as well. Consistency is key when it comes to winning games, and neither the Stars nor the Blackhawks can seem to catch it and hold onto it.
With all the issues the Stars have had, their offense, with 3.22 goals for per game, is still second in the league, while the Blackhawks’ 2.77 per game is ninth.
Also for some perspective, the Stars’ power play, which has come under considerable fire recently, is fifth in the league at 21.2%, with the Blackhawks against at ninth in the NHL with 20.2%.
However, the Stars will have to be on their toes. The Blackhawks’ goals against average, 2.28 per game, is fourth in the league, while the Stars have dropped to nineteenth. And remember how power plays have been an issue? The Blackhawks’ penalty kill is sitting at 82.2% to the Stars’ 79.8%.
Dallas and Chicago each won one of their two previous season meetings. So one of these teams is going to have to put their all into pulling ahead and proving their dominance in the division.
Nothing but net
Antti Niemi may have become the golden goalie for the Stars, but his recent performance against the Blackhawks may lead Lindy Ruff to give the nod to Kari Lehtonen instead. After allowing three goals in eleven shots in the Stars’ last tussle with the Blackhawks, Niemi surrendered the net to Lehtonen, who stopped 13 of 15 shots in the last two frames.
Despite taking on more of a backup role this season, Lehtonen went on to start Tuesday against the Wild and gave a stunner performance which, along with Klingberg’s overtime goal, was a deciding factor in the victory.
So, since Niemi’s last tango with the Blackhawks was a bit painful to watch and Lehtonen has proven that he can still command with a presence in goal, we can all do our best to keep calm and Kari on when the Blackhawks crash the net tonight.
Dueling dynamic duos
We all know that winning is a team effort and have been told there’s no “I” in team since we were kids. While this is indeed a fact, it’s also true that chemistry between certain players can drive the rest of the team. Both Dallas and Chicago know this to be true, and each have a dynamic duo that can change the pace of a game with its production.
Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin have really clicked, leading the Blackhawks with 76 and 52 points respectively. Panarin’s chemistry with Kane is giving him an unbelievable rookie season and putting him on pace for some high honors. Their goal-scoring prowess combined is pretty intimidating, but the Stars may get to forgo the difficulty of dealing with them, as Panarin could be out sick.
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin have admittedly been acting less dynamic and more distracted as of late. Each one has seemed to go to his own corner so to speak, with Benn scoring the majority of home goals and Seguin picking up the slack on the road. However, if the Stars want to sit at the top of the division again, they’ll need an increase in production from these two to do it.
Injury Report
The Dallas Stars will have to forge ahead without the help of Jason Spezza, who has been placed on injured reserve due to an upper body injury.
The Blackhawks will be without the help of Marcus Kruger, who is also on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Having missed the Blackhawk’s last game due to illness, Artemi Panarin, who has been under the weather, may be questionable for tonight’s game.
Projected Lines
Dallas Stars
Jamie Benn –Tyler Seguin –Patrick Eaves
Patrick Sharp –Mattias Janmark –Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel –Cody Eakin –Ales Hemsky
Vernon Fiddler –Radek Faksa –Travis Moen
Alex Goligoski –John Klingberg
Kari Lehtonen
Antti Niemi
Chicago Blackhawks
Andrew Shaw –Jonathan Toews –Marian Hossa
Patrick Kane –Artem Anisimov –Teuvo Teravainen
Andrew Desjardins –Phillip Danault –Jiri Sekac
Brandon Mashinter –Dennis Rasmussen –Richard Panik
Duncan Keither –Niklas Hjalmarsson
Erik Gustafsson –Brent Seabrook
Trevor van Riemsdyk –Viktor Svedberg
Next: Dallas Stars Presented With Perfect Chance Against Rival
Predictions
With Dallas on a winning streak and Chicago on a losing one and neither team showing real consistency, it could go either way! If Panarin is out, the Stars will hopefully take advantage of the holes in the Hawks’ lines and step up to the plate with honed special teams and more offensive sparks.
Putting the Blackhawks within a one-point reach in the standings should be a good motivator for the Stars to come out ahead with a 3-2 victory.