While the Dallas Stars are done for the season, the Stars' organization still has hockey going on south of the DFW Metroplex. The Texas Stars are returning home to take on the Abbotsford Canucks in the Western Conference Finals in Cedar Park tonight. Things haven't gone the way the Stars expected in the first two games of this series. The Canucks have a goalie that's been lights out in the playoffs this season and the Stars got a first-hand experience of that over the weekend.
It will be interesting to see if the Texas Stars can use the home crowd to get back into this series before they have to go back to Abbotsford for the remainder of the series. Just because the Stars are down 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals doesn't mean the Canucks have a spot in the Calder Cup Finals. The Texas Stars are still in this series and can easily win Game 3 on home ice this evening. Here are the four keys to the game against the Canucks later tonight.
Texas Stars vs. Abbotsford Canucks Preview: 4. Attack Arturs Silovs
I hope the Texas Stars don't attack him tonight but the Stars need to pepper Arturs Silovs if they want to beat the Canucks in Cedar Park tonight. They have done a good job of that throughout the series so far, but he's a tough nut to crack. They need to do everything in their power to screen Silovs so he doesn't see the puck coming towards him. That's one way the Texas Stars can get back into this series and advance to the Calder Cup Finals.
Texas Stars vs. Abbotsford Canucks Preview: 3. Avoid overtime
The Stars and the Canucks have already gone to overtime in Game 1 of this series and it didn't end in the Stars' favor. If it goes to overtime tonight, so be it, but the Stars need to avoid overtime at all costs. It would be better if the fans in attendance didn't go home with heart issues. The Stars have a good team that can score and avoid overtime. So that's why the Stars have to do everything in their power tonight to prevent overtime and win the game to get back into this series.
Texas Stars vs. Abbotsford Canucks Preview: 2. Shut down Linus Karlsson
The one player the Stars need to shut down to win tonight's game is Linus Karlsson. He's the leading scorer for the Canucks in the Calder Cup Playoffs with seven goals and six assists so far. It will be interesting to see if the Stars' home crowd can take him out of the game with how loud it should be in the arena tonight. That will be one of the main things to see if he's able to score goals on the road tonight. If the Stars can take him out of the game tonight, they should win and get back in this series.
Texas Stars vs. Abbotsford Canucks Preview: 1. Let Remi do his thing
Remi Poirier has done a great job of being the starting goaltender for the Texas Stars in the Calder Cup Playoffs this year. His .933 save percentage has the Stars on the verge of making it to the Calder Cup Finals if the Stars can turn the series around at home tonight. The Stars must do their best and help their goaltender by clearing the puck out of the zone, so the Canucks can't set up their offense tonight. If the Stars help out their goaltender tonight, they should get back into this series.