Coming off a 4-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, the Dallas Stars will look to regain control of the series on Sunday. Game time is 3:30 p.m. CDT.
The Jets struggled mightily on the road in their first-round playoff series against the St. Louis Blues. The Blues won all three home-ice games handily. The Stars aim to replicate that feet at American Airlines Center. Projected Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck was pulled in all three road games last series.
Despite the Game Two loss, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer feels there’s an avenue to victory in the next two games. However, in order to succeed, the Stars need players beyond Mikko Rantanen (eight goals, 15 points) to score goals. Having Jason Robertson back in the lineup helps. The high-scoring forward was a bright spot for Dallas on Friday.
In fact, the normally placid DeBoer took exception to the relentlessly negative line of questioning posed after Friday’s game. “Maybe you should apply for the coaching job,” he retorted to a reporter questioning Dallas’ breakouts in the second game.
The Stars put themselves in an early hole in Game Two. A four-minute penalty in the opening minute of play turned into the game’s first goal. That’s not how Dallas needed to start the game. However, the Stars also had zero puck luck. Winnipeg built a two-goal on a broken play. An attempted Nikolaj Ehlers pass deflected off defender Esa Lindell’s skate into the net. In the second period, Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry tallied right after Dylan DeMelo missed the net.
Unlucky bounces or not, the Stars were unable to put much pressure on Hellebuyck at the other end of the ice. Moving forward, the Stars need to generate more volume and shot quality than they mustered in Game Two.
The Stars also need to get lines beyond Roope Hintz’s unit scoring. Defenseman Thomas Harley has done his part with six points (2g, 4a) in nine games to date. Even so, Dallas needs more from the forwards, too.
Regular season scoring leader (30g, 52a, 82 points) Matt Duchene has just four points (0g, 4a) in the postseason to date. Team captain Jamie Benn has chipped in just one goal and one assist in the postseason to date. Likewise, Mason Marchment (22 regular season tallies) has just one playoff goal so far. Acquired for supplementary offensive support, Mikael Granlund has two goals thus far despite periodic deployment on the top line with Hintz and Rantanen.
“We need guys to get on the board, ” DeBoer acknowledged. “You also have to understand that Winnipeg is the best defensive team in the league and it’s not going to be easy.”
