After two long grueling games in Calgary, the Dallas Stars return home for games 3 & 4 starting tonight. The Stars played brilliantly in game 2 making sure the series ended up being tied heading back to Dallas. Jake Oettinger will need to have another stellar performance in net tonight to take the series lead. Here are the keys to the game if the Stars want to take a 2-1 series lead tonight.
Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames: 3. Improve on the power play
Stars need to take advantage by scoring goals on the power play if they want to knock the Flames out of the playoffs. Right now the Stars are struggling as they went 0-5 on the power play in game 1 of the series. If the Stars managed to knock in two goals on the power play in game 1, this series would be different right now. With Jacob Markstrom playing his best hockey right now, you have to capitalize on the other team’s mental mistakes.
Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames: 2. Keep attacking the net
I liked watching how the Stars kept attacking Markstrom in game 2 of the series. Even when the shots weren’t getting past him, the Stars kept putting pressure on him and they need to keep doing that here in game 3. This will be a goalie series as both goalies are putting on clinics right now.
Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames: 1. Extinguish the Flames’ top line again
The Dallas Stars have done a good job making sure that the Flames’ top scorers don’t score. Usually the Flames will take over a game after a couple of their top scorers get a couple of goals. So, Far Dallas has only allowed Elias Lindholm to score and that’s a good thing. The Stars have to keep doing that every game if they want to win the series. Jake Oettinger can only do so much on defense and the Stars so far have helped him out big time.
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