Dallas Stars: Things To Watch In Second Round Against St. Louis Blues

The second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs starts up on Thursday night. And as the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues dig in against each other for what should be a long series, what are some things to look out for?

In just a few short hours, the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues will help usher in the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Take that in for a moment.

Just a few months ago, the two sat in the bottom half of the Central division and looked to be playoff hopefuls at best. Following a late-season surge by both clubs, though, they now make up 25 percent of the teams still in the running for the Stanley Cup.

And that’s exactly what makes this second-round series so enticing. Not only do these two teams not like each other and have a rough history, but the stakes are now higher with a trip to the Western Conference finals on the line.

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It’s been a long time coming for these two to meet in the postseason as well. The Blues are actually the Stars’ most frequent playoff opponent throughout their franchise history, with this current date marking their 14th meetup in postseason history. So far, the Blues own a narrow 7-6 advantage.

That advantage was secured in 2016 when St. Louis dominated Dallas with a 6-1 beating at the American Airlines Center in Game 7 of the second round. The win helped the Blues advance and sent the Stars, a team fresh off of a 50-win season and Central division title, home on an unexpectedly early note.

But this is a new season and a new chance for the Dallas Stars to swing back.

Upon securing their spot in the playoffs, both teams managed to work through their first-round matchups in six games. The Stars took down the Central division champion Nashville Predators on Monday evening, winning their third consecutive game and officially closing out the series. They received a boost from their younger players, phenomenal net-minding from Ben Bishop, and a late punch in the series from the trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov to seal the deal.

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Meanwhile, the Blues knocked off the Winnipeg Jets in six games and wrapped the series up on Saturday evening. Though each of their four wins came by a deficit of just one goal, the Blues stole three games on the road and bumped the Central representative from last year’s Western Conference finals to the offseason.

The Blues went 3-0-0 on the road. The Stars went 2-0-1 when away from home. The Stars outscored the Predators 18-12 in round one, while the Blues and Jets evened out at 16-16. Dallas went 3-1 when allowing the first goal to Nashville. The Blues went 2-0 when giving the first goal to Winnipeg. Both teams are persistent and focused, thrive on defense, and seem to have a determination that isn’t easily shattered.

And so, here the two clubs sit. Toe-to-toe in round two with a trip to the biggest stage in the West on the line.

But what could be a defining factor in determining which team comes out on top? Where does each team have the most promise? Which players might play a prime role in determining the series?

Here are a few important things to watch out for and remember as this second round showdown gets underway.