After coming off back-to-back shutouts last week, the Dallas Stars look to be in the drivers seat in the Western Conference. However, the Buffalo Sabres come into town looking to change that on Monday night. The Arizona Coyotes offense wasn’t much of a challenge for the Stars’ defense. The defense will have their hands full as they try and suppress NHL All-Star Tage Thompson who is having a career season so far. Here are the three keys to the game for the Stars tonight against the Sabres.
Dallas Stars vs Buffalo Sabres Preview: 3. Continue building that early lead
The Stars need to continue to build an early lead coming out of the gate in the first period. If you remember in the first period against the Coyotes, the Stars got out to a 3-0 lead due to Radek Faksa and Esa Lindell. It helped the Stars make sure Jake Oettinger had a cushion in case the Coyotes surged back in the second period. They will definitely need the cushion against this high octane Buffalo Sabres offense tonight.
Dallas Stars vs Buffalo Sabres Preview: 2. Shut down Tage Thompson
The Stars have a pretty simple task tonight and that is shut down Tage Thompson. He currently has 32 goals and 29 assists so far this year for the Sabres. They need to put Miro Heiskanen on him at all times tonight to make sure he doesn’t score a goal. He is a very good goal scorer and I wouldn’t be shocked if he threw the kitchen sink at Oettinger tonight.
Dallas Stars vs Buffalo Sabres Preview: 1. Get Mason Marchment back on the score sheet
The Stars desperately need to find a way tonight to get Mason Marchment a goal tonight. He is currently on a goal skid over ten games right now. They spent some big money on him this offseason and somehow he has fallen off the scoring sheet as of recently. The Stars are going to need him down the stretch and he needs to get back into a scoring groove. Hopefully, he can get back to it tonight vs the Sabres.
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