The Dallas Stars look to begin the Western Conference Semifinals with a bang tonight by melting the Avalanche. The Stars are coming off a seven-game series win over the Vegas Golden Knights. It will be another tough series for the Stars as they continue their quest for the Stanley Cup. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar look to get revenge on losing out on the Central Division title this season. A series win against the Dallas Stars would satisfy that void.
The Stars might be sluggish as they begin the series tonight since they played on Sunday night. However, the Stars could surprise the fans who attend the game by being aggressive out of the gate tonight. The American Airlines Center would need a new roof if Joe Pavelski or Roope Hintz opened the game with a goal. If the Stars can open the series up with a win, that would certainly help them continue the momentum they're on right now. Here are the three keys of the game tonight if the Stars want to melt the Avalanche.
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 3. Unleash the flame torch
The Stars must come out of the gate strong after the opening puck drop. Colorado has the same firepower as the Golden Knights and won't hesitate to score first to bury the Stars under a foot of snow. The Stars offense can't have any staggering qualities to it as the previous series against the Golden Knights. Scoring first against Colorado is crucial if the Stars want to take control of the series early. If the Stars can score first and control the momentum, they should take game one later tonight.
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 2. Shut down Nathan MacKinnon
The player in particular that the Stars must shut down tonight on the Avalanche's roster is forward Nathan MacKinnon. The Hart Trophy finalist will look to help the Avalanche get the series lead out of the gate tonight. He is a top player in the league this season, along with Connor McDavid. He will stop at nothing to put a puck past Jake Oettinger for a goal tonight. The Stars cannot allow him to set up in the zone and cause damage. If the Stars can limit the damage MacKinnon does tonight, they should win the game and begin the series 1-0.
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 1. Don't let the Avalanche get past you
Another thing that the Dallas Stars have to be ready for this evening is how quick the Colorado Avalanche are on the ice. Their speed is faster than the Golden Knights and can turn the game's momentum towards them. The Stars are no stranger to this speed since they got burned by their speed in March before the trade deadline. They can't allow the players to skate past them on a 2-on-1 breakaway. If the Stars can keep the Avalanche in front of them, they should be able to win the game.