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Dallas Stars look to tame the Minnesota Wild in game one of the playoffs

By Brian Sweet |
ST PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 17: Filip Gustavsson #32 of the Minnesota Wild makes a save while Joe Pavelski #16 of the Dallas Stars competes in the second period of the game at Xcel Energy Center on February 17, 2023 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
ST PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 17: Filip Gustavsson #32 of the Minnesota Wild makes a save while Joe Pavelski #16 of the Dallas Stars competes in the second period of the game at Xcel Energy Center on February 17, 2023 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs start tonight as the Dallas Stars take on the Minnesota Wild at the American Airlines Center. If you watched any of the games between both teams this season, you know bad blood is going to spill over into this series.

This is the first time the Stars have had a home ice advantage in the playoffs for a series. The Stars need to ride the momentum of home ice advantage to the second round. With the Wild having some players out with injuries, the Stars have a good shot at advancing. Here are the three keys of the game for the Stars to get out to a 1-0 lead in the series.

Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild Preview: 3. Attack quickly

The Stars need to strike early in order to get the home crowd roaring inside the AAC. If I were Dallas Stars Head Coach Pete DeBoer, I’m throwing out the top line of Jason Robertson Joe Pavelski, and Roope Hintz to get that early goal. If the Stars allow the Wild to strike first, that would be a really bad thing. It would take the crowd out of it and remind them of 2016 all over again.

Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild Preview: 2. Shut down Kaprizov

The Stars need to shut down Krill Kaprizov tonight to get out to that 1-0 lead in the series. He is Minnesota’s top scorer with 40 goals and 35 assists. The Stars’ defense needs to have a man on him every time he is in the Stars’ zone. He is a sneaky hockey player that can set up his teammates or score himself.  If the Stars can shut him down, they can get out to a 1-0 series lead over the Wild.

Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild Preview: 1. Be aggressive

The Stars need to flex some muscle on the Wild tonight. They need to show them that the Stars aren’t going to allow them to walk into their house and push them around. I want to see the Stars check this team into the boards hard tonight. This is not the team from last year that the Calgary Flames pushed around in seven games. The Wild’s countdown to their summer hibernation begins tonight.

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