Game Preview: Stars Begin Daunting Two-Game Road Trip Against The Panthers

The task ahead of the Dallas Stars is a tall one. Back-to-back games against the top two teams in the NHL, the Florida Panthers on Friday, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Friday’s game will be the second matchup against the Panthers this season. Dallas won the previous matchup on Jan. 6 in a wild 6-5 shootout contest at American Airlines Center. That loss marks the only blemish for the Panthers in their last seven games (6-0-1).

The Panthers boast a striking 19-3-0 mark at home while also leading the league in goals and shots per game on home ice as well so it will be a tough matchup for Dallas, who continues to struggle on the road this season (4-10-1).

To make matters worse, the Stars will be without Braden Holtby, Denis Gurianov, Andrej Sekera, and Alexander Radulov, as all three remain on the NHL’s COVID protocol list.

Jake Oettinger will start tonight for the second straight game. Anton Khudobin will remain with the team throughout the weekend and may get an opportunity tomorrow in Tampa.

Tonight will also be a special one for Stars captain, Jamie Benn, who is expected to skate in his 900th career game. Since being drafted in the fifth round in 2007, Benn has spent his entire career with the Stars. In that time, he ranks third in franchise history in points (740) and fourth in both goals (320) and assists (420). Since 2005, Benn has the most points of any player drafted in the fifth round or later and the 13th most points of any player.

Fresh off his first career five-point night against the Seattle Kraken and his recent selection to the 2022 NHL All-Star Game, Joe Pavelski will look to continue his recent success in Florida tonight. The 37-year-old forward is riding a seven-game point streak as his line continues to dominate, especially on home ice.

“We had some good runs last year and some good chemistry, and it’s just nice to see it’s followed us along this season,” Pavelski said. “We have been on a good run. We expect to produce every night, we expect to play hard. That has been the biggest thing, we haven't had to say a whole lot. The compete has been there from all three of us and guys are making plays and feeding off each other. Obviously, we have a lot of confidence as a line, and it’s fun playing.”

For the Stars, the game plan remains the same. Limit the turnovers, do not feed the Panthers transition game, and get in on the forecheck as much as possible. While it is no small task, the Stars have been slowly but surely surprising people with their play as of late. Perhaps this weekend will serve as yet another step in the right direction.

"We kept playing how we played those last games before the break," Lindell said following the win against the Kraken. "It's a good feeling around the team. Even though we lost the game in St. Louis, we played pretty well. A win tonight, I think everyone is feeling good. Just have to do the same on the road."