Dallas Stars look to fix their mistakes against the St. Louis Blues

The Dallas Stars will someday figure out the code to beating the Vancouver Canucks and their Thatcher Demko code. Hopefully, they decide to make that into a blockbuster movie someday. However, nothing the Stars can do about the loss now but focus their attention on the St. Louis Blues tonight. The Stars might be without some key players tonight, such as Nils Lundkvist and Matt Duchene. Hopefully, Duchene will be in the lineup because the Stars could use his playmaking ability.

Even Glen Gulutzan said during the postgame conference against the Canucks that their mistakes have been building up since the first game of the season, and it's what cost them the game against Vancouver on Thursday night. He also said he wasn't too surprised they lost. The Stars need to play a whole 60 minutes if they want to win in this challenging Western Conference. Here are the four keys to the game against the Blues later tonight.

Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 4. Play 60 minutes tonight

I'm proud of the Stars for figuring out how to score goals in the first period again. Now, they need to work on keeping their foot on the gas pedal for the entire game. They let their foot off the gas pedal in the second period, and look what happened to them. They allowed four unanswered goals against the Canucks on Thursday night. The only way you can win in the NHL these days is by playing the entire game and not taking leads for granted. Dallas needs to keep their foot on the gas pedal tonight.

Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 3. Step it up

If Matt Duchene is out against the Blues tonight, the Sinister Six need to bring their A-game. I'm not worried about Mikko Rantanen or Wyatt Johnston since they have been producing offense this season. The other four players need to chip in on offense, or else the Stars' offense will stall against the Blues tonight. That's something they can't afford to have happen on the road tonight. If it does stall, Jake Oettinger will have to steal another game for the Stars like he did against the Colorado Avalanche.

Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 2. Stop the unfriendly Neighbour

Sorry for my corny NextDoor joke, but the Stars need to make sure Jake Neighbours does not end up with the puck on his stick tonight. He has four goals and one assist early on in the season. He's the last person the Stars need to see have a career night. Hopefully, Thomas Harley will be ready to go tonight after catching the flu. Miro Heiskanen can't shut him down on his own tonight. Expect a long game for the Stars if Harley is out and can't figure out how to stop Neighbours.

Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 1. Blitz Jordan Binnington

The Stars have done a good job of having multiple players surround the front of the net over the first four games of the season. That's something I wish they were able to do against the Edmonton Oilers last season in the Western Conference Finals. If they want to beat the Blues tonight, they have to get to Jordan Binnington and poke the puck past him. If he gets a bunch of saves at the beginning of the game, he's a tough goaltender to crack. Might as well break his soul in the first period and crowd his crease.