Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 2/11/18-2/17/18

The Dallas Stars will look to gain some important points in the playoff race this week. They only play two games this week with a four day break between games.

The Stars will start the week off on Sunday with a visit from the Vancouver Canucks, who are seventh in the Pacific. The Canucks are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games played. Dallas will then have the next four days off before they return to action to face Central Division rivals, the St. Louis Blues. The Blues are a hot team having won seven of their last 10 games. 

Dallas starts the week off against a struggling Canucks team. The Stars need to be ready to play from the drop of the puck and not look ahead to the game against the Blues. Dallas should try to stay out of the box because the power play has been the one area that has been clocking this season for the Canucks. The Stars need to keep an eye on the Sedin twins when they are on the ice since they can put up some points. The Stars want to take advantage of a weak penalty kill by the Canucks and score on some of their power play opportunities.

The Canucks want to get off to a good start in this game and establish a tone early. Vancouver needs to establish a forecheck early and often to make the Stars play in the own zone and not be able to get any offensive attack time. The Canucks should stay out of the box since they have one of the worst penalty kills in the League. Vancouver needs to win the even strength battle and try to score some goals. The Canucks need to get a good game from the goaltending because the Stars will get their chances and have more than one guy that can put the puck in the net. 

The Stars will have some time to rest and prepare for what should be a Central Division battle against the Blues. Dallas will want to get off to a fast start and establish the forecheck game early to make the Blues play in their own end. The Stars need to have the lead entering the final period of the game since they only have one regulation win when trailing after two periods. Dallas will want to get a good game from the goaltending since the Blues have a balanced lineup and find ways to score. The goalie should try to have good rebound control and keep the Blues from second opportunities. Dallas should have a better finish to this game since the third period has been a problem for the team all season.

St. Louis should try to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game early. The Blues will want to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Stars, who can put the puck in the net and create chances in the offensive zone. St. Louis needs to have a better start to this game since they have only score 35 goals in the first periods of games this year. The Blues want to find a way to get a struggling power play going since it could be the deciding factor in the game with both teams being pretty even at even strength.