Dallas Stars go on a Coyote hunt later tonight at the American Airlines Center

The celebration from this past weekend is over, and it's time to re-focus on the playoffs around the corner next month. The Dallas Stars go on a coyote hunt tonight as they host the Arizona Coyotes at the American Airlines Center. The Coyotes surprised tons of people in the first half of the season. This is a team that the Stars can't sleepwalk against tonight because they want to cause chaos in the playoff standings. Here are the three keys of the game tonight against the Coyotes.

Dallas Stars vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview: 3. Wound them in the first period

The Stars must put the Coyotes out of their misery in the first period by scoring a lot. That means overloading the front of the net and putting in rebounds. The Coyotes are a team you don't want to have hope after the first period of a game. If it takes a bit of the second period to put the dagger in the coffin, that's fine. If the Stars can put the Coyotes out of their misery in the first period, they should receive two points tonight.

Dallas Stars vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview: 2. Shut down Clayton Keller

The Stars must focus their defensive efforts on Clayton Keller tonight. He has 27 goals and 32 assists going into tonight's matchup against the Dallas Stars. Keller is their franchise player who knows how to score and set his teammates up for goals. The Stars must help Jake Oettinger tonight by clearing Keller out in front of the net. They can't afford to let him hang out in front of Oettinger and tip in rebounds tonight. If the Stars can shut him down tonight, the Stars should win tonight's game in front of the home crowd.

Dallas Stars vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview: 1. Phenomenotter

The Stars need Oettinger to turn into Phenomenotter tonight against the Coyotes. With Scott Wedgewood and his wife at the hospital expecting their daughter any day now, Oettinger must be the All-Star goalie we all know and love. He had a rough week against the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers last week. It's time to put that in the past and focus on the task at hand tonight. The playoffs begin next month, and Oettinger must find his stride tonight against the Coyotes.

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