The Dallas Stars have one last chance to keep their Central Division Title hopes alive tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. After the complete meltdown by the Stars' defense in the final minute against the Vancouver Canucks, the Stars look to rebound and upset the Jets on home ice. It will be a tough grind tonight for the Stars' defense without Miro Heiskanen in the lineup. The best thing the Stars can do is overwhelm the Jets with an offensive overload on Connor Hellebuyck.
The Stars need everyone focused and ready to play after the opening puck drop tonight. The Stars can't even let up a bit against the Jets tonight. We all saw what happened when the Stars were up 5-2 against the Canucks on Tuesday. If the Stars want one last shot at winning the Central Division, they have to win in regulation tonight and win the remainder of their games while the Jets lose a couple more games. Here are the four keys to the game tonight against the Jets.
Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview: 4. Send the Jets into a nosedive
If the Jets think they are going to walk into the American Airlines Center tonight, they better think again. The Stars are ticked off after losing three straight games and want to turn it around for the playoffs. It's time to get out of that defensive funk we saw in the last match and shut this team down like Jon Taffer shuts down bars on Bar Rescue. The Jets already know they will be in the postseason, so let's get them into a downward spiral that could eliminate them in the first round of the playoffs.
Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview: 3. Continue the power play grind
The Stars surprised everyone at the American Airlines Center when they scored three-straight power play goals against the Canucks. If the Stars can do it against the Canucks, why can't they do it against the Jets tonight. The Stars have to fire the puck at Connor Hellebuyck and tap in loose rebounds in front of the net. If the Stars can capitalize on the power play tonight against the Jets, they should have no issue winning tonight's contest against them.
Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview: 2. Shut down Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor
The Stars are going up against a couple of elite goal scorers tonight when they take on the Jets. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor are their top two goal-scorers heading into the matchup against the Stars. They are excellent players and wouldn't have the Jets in first place in the Central Division. The Stars could have a long night if either of these players finds the back of the net and gets hot on offense.
Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview: 1. Keep the top line hot
The last key of the game tonight has to deal with the top line. The Stars need Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, and Mikko Rantanen to stay hot with the playoffs right around the corner. They have been doing well after being put together once Rantanen arrived here in Dallas. They will be the Stars' hope of ever seeing the second round of the playoffs. The last thing the Stars need tonight is for those three players to go cold and not find the back of the net.