It feels like forever since the Dallas Stars have been back in the metroplex. Dallas has returned home after the rookies dismantled the Toronto Maple Leafs in their road trip finale. They will take on the Montreal Canadiens at the American Airlines Center. If they win tonight, the Stars can sweep the Canadiens this season. However, they must do it without another key player in the lineup tonight. This player is like the key to the entire' Stars offense.
Roope Hintz is day-to-day with an upper-body injury he received from Auston Matthews in the first period. Now, Matthews had no intention of intentionally injuring Hintz. That was a legal hit that Hintz's body couldn't withstand. Matej Blumel and Justin Hryckowian were recalled this morning due to the injury. Can the Stars get help from the young fellas again tonight in a familiar environment? Here are the three keys of the game tonight against the Canadiens.
Dallas Stars vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview: 3. Find a way
The Stars will have to find a way to generate offense tonight against the Canadiens. Some players must step up and generate offense with Hintz, Seguin, and Marchment out of the lineup. This would be a good game to see young Thomas Harley get a couple of goals from the blue line. Nils Lundkvist is another player who can step up as well. If the Stars can generate offense from unlikely scorers tonight, they can beat the Canadiens in their first home game.
Dallas Stars vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview: 2. Shut down Cole Caufield
It should come as no surprise that Cole Caufield is a player the Stars can't allow to score tonight. Caufield is a player that can energize the entire roster with one goal. That's why Miro Heiskanen and his defensemen have a tough assignment tonight. All they have to do is make sure someone is covering him in the Stars' zone. If the Stars can shut Caufield down from scoring tonight, they should win the hockey game like last time.
Dallas Stars vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview: 1. Help the Otter
I hope Jake Oettinger isn't sick from the Oreos he had on the plane ride home from Toronto. Even though he wasn't at practice this morning, he will be between the pipes tonight for the Stars. The defense has to help him like they did in the last game against the Canadiens. Oettinger can't rely on the pipes tonight as he did in the first period against the Maple Leafs. If the Stars help Oettinger out defensively tonight, they will come away with two points against the Canadiens.