The Dallas Stars are ready and refreshed for some hockey tonight after beating the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 on Monday night. They welcome the Ottawa Senators to town tonight for some Friday night hockey at the American Airlines Center. This will be the final home game of this home stand this week as they travel tomorrow to take on the St. Louis Blues.
The Stars need to end it on a high note by taking out the Senators. However, the Senators are not going to make it easy on the Stars tonight. They lost to the St. Louis Blues 4-2 last night and are looking to blow off some steam. Here are the three keys of the game tonight against the Senators.
Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 3. Attack them early on
The Dallas Stars are getting a blessing tonight as the Senators will be tired tonight. Sometimes hockey teams will be exhausted on the back end of a back-to-back game situation. If they see the Senators sleeping out there in the first period, they need to attack their goaltender by crashing the net and ending the game early. If the Stars can get off to a quick start tomorrow night against the Senators, they can end the home stand on a high note.
Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 2. Shut down their captain
The Stars need to shut down the Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk tonight if they want to beat the Senators. Tkachuk has 13 goals and 6 assists going into the matchup against the Stars tonight. I saw that the Stars were practicing defensive drills at practice the other day which is good considering how bad their defense has been lately. If the Stars can put some of those drills to use against Tkachuk tonight, I like the Stars' odds of winning tonight against the Senators.
Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues Preview: 1. Give Scott Wedgewood some help
Considering the Stars are playing on the road in St. Louis tomorrow night, Scott Wedgewood will probably start tonight. The team has to help him out so that way he doesn't get tired early on from all the shots on goal he might expect in the first period. Wedgewood has been fantastic for the Stars when Jake Oettinger needs a break. If the Stars can shut down the Senators' offense and help out Wedgewood tonight, they should the home stand on a high note tonight.