Three pinnacle games lie ahead for the Dallas Stars.
The Stars visit the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild back-to-back this weekend before hosting the visiting Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday, respectively. All four teams are within five points of each other.
After trailblazing to first place in the Central Division with a 7-1-1 record, Dallas picked up a much-needed win last night.
Jake Oettinger has been fantastic despite allowing a couple goals that he’d like to have back over the past three games. The Otter has blocked 82 of 88 shots in that span, resulting in a save percentage, .931, nearly identical to his overall season number, .933. Dallas overcame a multi-goal deficit for the first time in last night’s victory. After trailing by two goals early, the Stars scored five unanswered goals en route to a 5-2 critical road win. The win launches the club back to first place in the division with an 8-3-1 record.
Roope Hintz, Jamie Benn, and Miro Heiskanen are on a scoring draught.
Hintz hasn’t registered a point since his three-point outing (2G, 1A) on Nov. 2 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Finnish center posted four points in two games leading to that night.
Benn, after his stare down with Marchand in Boston on Monday, was held off the scoresheet for the second consecutive game. He previously collected five points through three games.
Heiskanen is the oddball of the group. He’s a defenseman, but can inject scoring due to his elite of elite ability to succeed in all three zones. In the last five games, the 2017 third overall selection pitched in three points including two assists on Nov. 6.
Dallas is a deep team this season, one of the deepest in the entire National Hockey League. The once dominant lead in the division has disappeared as the Colorado Avalanche is ready to overthrow. The Winnipeg Jets and Arizona Coyotes are one point and four points away from tying Dallas, respectively.
As rivals are picking up their game, the Stars need to regain scoring from throughout the lineup quickly.
