Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 12/24/17-12/30/17

The Dallas Stars look to pick up some pivotal points against the competition this week since they play two games against Central Division opponents.

The Stars will visit the Minnesota Wild tonight. Dallas will then come home for a Friday night game against the St. Louis Blues, who are currently leading the division by one point.

Dallas will need to get off to a fast start against the Wild, including getting the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game. The Stars need to win the special teams battle and try to get their power play back on track, which has been struggling lately. Dallas needs to have a solid defense effort including the forwards helping out and limiting their mistakes with and without the puck. They need to avoid the mental lapses that can happen throughout the game. One of the biggest problem with the Stars this year has been their consistency, whether it has been from period-to-period or game-to-game, and they need to play a consistent 60  minutes on the road tonight to get two points. The Stars will need to keep an eye on Eric Staal, who leads the Wild in goals and points. 

The Wild need to be better at even strength since they've allowed more goals than scored when playing 5-on-5 hockey. Minnesota needs to find a way to contain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, and they can do that by having sustained offensive zone pressure. The Wild must stop the balanced attack of the Stars since they can roll four lines that can get scoring chances. Minnesota should have a better finish to the game if they want a chance at getting two big points at home. Alex Stalock is going must have a big game and make crucial saves for the Wild tonight. 

Dallas will return home on Friday night to take on a St. Louis team that has been average in their last 10 games played. The Stars should come out with some energy, get in on the forecheck and get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd into the game. Dallas need to limits their mistakes because the Blues will take advantage of them. The Stars must be aware of when Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko are on the ice since they are the leading scorers on the team. Dallas needs to get good goaltending in this game, and not allow any soft goals. The Stars should try to have the lead entering the third period since they have zero third period comebacks this year.

St. Louis needs to have the lead entering the third period since they only have two wins in regulation when trailing after two periods. The Blues should keep an eye on when Alexander Radulov and John Klingberg are on the ice because they can score and setup teammates. St. Louis needs to get their power play going because that is one of the weak spots on the team. The Blues just need to get some shots on net, and make sure that there is traffic in front. St. Louis is giving up way too many third period goals this year (45), but they have also scored a lot (46). 

Preds Prey: Weekly Preview 12/24/17-12/30/17

The Nashville Predators will look to put some distance between themselves and the competition this week since all three of their games are against Central Division opponents.

The Predators will take on the St. Louis Blues tonight with just one point separating the two teams for the top spot in the Central. On Friday and Saturday, the Preds will play a home-and-home series with the Minnesota Wild. The teams will be in Minnesota on Friday night and Nashville on Saturday night. There should be some good hockey played between the divisional rivals.

The Preds will need to keep an eye on Brayden Schenn, who leads the Blues in goals, assists and points this season. Nashville will need to get good goaltending from whichever goalie starts tonight's game. The Predators need to be very good while at even strength since the Blues have scored 73 even strength goals on the season to Nashville's 64. The Preds should try to have the lead entering the third period since they have only forced overtime twice in the nine times they have been trailing after the second period this year. Nashville needs to get off to a good start and play a solid 60 minute defensive road game.

The Blues will need to get their power play going since it is ranked 24th and a clear weakness on this team. St. Louis needs to be aware of where the Preds defensemen are on the ice since they like to join the play in the offensive zone or make the long stretch pass to start a breakout of their own zone. The Blues should also keep an eye on Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson because both players have speed and can finish a play. St. Louis will need to get some stellar goaltending tonight since the Preds know how to put the puck in the opposition's net. The Blues will need to get the first goal of the game and come out playing with some energy.

On Friday night, the Predators will play the first of a home-and-home series with the Minnesota Wild. The Preds will need to use their speed in transition to get behind the Wild defensemen. Nashville will need to have their skating legs so they can draw penalties. The Predators need to get shots on goal and have someone in front of the net for second chance opportunities. Nashville need to have a better finish to games since that has been the one area where they have really struggled this year. They have been outscored 41-31in the final period of games, and that needs to change. The Preds will also need to find a way to contain Jason Zucker and Eric Staal, who lead the team in points and goals.

The Wild will need to play really well at even strength since they have given up more goals at even strength than they've scored this year. Minnesota need to keep an eye on Kevin Fiala and Kyle Turris, who have played well together since the trade to acquire Turris. The Wild should try to get pucks on net and bury the chances that they get throughout the game. Minnesota will need to get plenty of traffic in front of the net, and get good goaltending of their own for this game.

On Saturday night, the venue changes but the opponents are the same as the Wild visit the Preds. Nashville needs to take advantage of a weak road penalty kill of the Wild and put some pucks in the net when on the man advantage. The Preds need to be good on the forecheck and force some turnovers. The Predators will need to have good energy from the start of the game to the end of the game since this will be the back end of a back-to-back series with the Wild. Nasvhille needs to have good goaltending again, and play with discipline, which may be hard to do since they are the most penalized team in the League.

The Wild need to stay out of the penalty box since the Preds have a solid power play. Minnesota needs to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game a little. The Wild should try to have the lead entering the final frame since they only have one regulation win and an overtime loss when trailing after two periods. Minnesota needs another good game from its goaltender, whether it is Devan Dubnyk or Alex Stalock. The Wild need to have a good start to the first half of the first period.