Dallas Stars enter the jungle tonight as they take on the Florida Panthers
By Brian Sweet
After a disappointing performance by the Stars down in Tampa Bay Monday night, they enter the jungle tonight. The Stars will be taking on the Florida Panthers tonight in the second game of their three-game road trip. The early game will be nationally televised and it will be on TNT at 6 PM CT. The Stars need another two points to keep pace with the Colorado Avalanche on top of the Central Division. Let's take a look at the three keys of the game tonight against the Panthers.
Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers Preview: 3. Come out aggressive
The Stars need to come out aggressive tonight if they want to beat the Stanley Cup runner-ups from last season. The Panthers will not wait for the Stars to make the first move. I want to see the Stars crash the net with the puck and poke it past the Panthers goaltender tonight. I don't want to see the start that they had last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. If the Stars can crash the net and cause problems tonight in the first period, the Stars will be on the right track for a victory tonight.
Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers Preview: 2. Shut down Sam Reinhart
The Stars need to do everything in their power to shut down Sam Reinhart tonight beginning in the first period. He leads the Panthers in goals with 16 going into the matchup tonight with the Dallas Stars. Miro Heiskanen needs to have a good night defending him if the Stars want a chance at beating the Panthers. They need to disrupt him trying to set anything up in the Stars' zone or getting a shot off. If the Stars can shut him down tonight, I like the Stars' odds of winning tonight's matchup.
Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers Preview: 1. Help Jake Oettinger out tonight
Jake Oettinger got no help from his team in Tampa Bay the other night and it was very disheartening. He kept the Stars in that game against the Lightning and no one helped him out by scoring a goal. The Stars need to help him tonight by building a big lead early on in case the Panthers have a late surge in the third period. Oettinger has a good track record of bouncing back after a terrible loss. Let's keep that trend going by getting that early lead and keeping it that way.