If only we could get the Monday Night Football band to play Pantera when the team takes the ice. However, Chris Stapleton isn't in town tonight, so we'll be playing the Pantera soundtrack instead. However, the Stars are welcoming the Utah Mammoth to the American Airlines Center tonight as they wrap up their homestand. It's been an amazing homestand as the Stars swept their schedule last week against some hard teams. Now, if we can get everyone to shut up about how good the Stars are doing right now. Dallas plays the best when no one is talking about them.
The Stars have to put last week behind them tonight. The Utah Mammoth have been on a surge since the trade deadline and have one of the wildcard spots in the Western Conference. The Stars could blink and all of a sudden they are down 2-0. This is the Stars' arena, and if the Mammoth want to come in here and get the win tonight, they will have to go through the Stars to do it. Here are the four keys for tonight's contest against the Mammoth.
Dallas Stars vs. Utah Mammoth Preview: 4. Take care of business early, shotgun beers later
The Dallas Stars have to stop playing with their food and get the game won. That's what happened on Saturday night when the Stars took on the Detroit Red Wings and allowed them to get back into the game. The Stars need to come out of the gate swinging like they did against Edmonton last week and end the game by the halfway point. I don't want to see the Stars get into the habit this late in the season of allowing teams to hang around late in the game.
Dallas Stars vs. Utah Mammoth Preview: 3. Break the power play record
Wyatt Johnston can break the power play record for most power play goals in a season by a Dallas Star tonight. Dallas needs to do a better job of capitalizing on the power play before the playoffs. I don't want to see the Stars have such a poor power-play record this postseason. That's how the Stars have been eliminated in the Western Conference Finals the past three seasons. You have to capitalize on the extra man advantage. If they do that tonight and Wyatt breaks the record, they can extinct the Mammoth.
Dallas Stars vs. Utah Mammoth Preview: 2. Shut down Dylan Guenther
I don't want to see Dylan Guenther get near Casey DeSmith and the Dallas net tonight. Gunether is the leading scorer on the Mammoth heading into tonight's game with 33 goals and 25 assists. This is a player that Glen Gulutzan is going to have Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen hovering around in the Stars' zone tonight. The Stars can kiss the win goodnight if they allow him to be an offensive threat. Shut down the threat and add two more points to the season total.
Dallas Stars vs. Utah Mammoth Preview: 1. Let Jake rest tonight
For those who were complaining about Jake Oettinger last week, he was awarded the Second Star of the Week by the league this morning. He deserves the night off for his award, so he can get ready for the huge road games later this week. Casey DeSmith is more than capable of shutting down the Mammoth at home tonight. It's so rewarding to have two goaltenders playing like franchise goaltenders this season. Let Casey get some flowers tonight and beat the Mammoth.