This afternoon, the Dallas Stars will host the Edmonton Oilers when they return to Dallas. Scott Wedgewood was a wall between the pipes in November, when the Stars just almost defeated them on the road. Starting from the beginning, Jake Oettinger will be looking to win eight games in a row with the support of his teammates. The following are the three keys for this afternoon’s game versus the Oilers.
This afternoon, the Dallas Stars will host the Edmonton Oilers in their second of four home games in February. The Stars aim to completely empty the pipelines at their origin. In the most recent encounter with the Oilers, Scott Wedgewood made 46 of 49 stops to help the team win 4-3. Jake Oettinger appears to be starting this afternoon after being substituted out of Thursday night’s game against Nashville prior to the third period. The following are the three keys to the game versus the Oilers this afternoon.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars Preview: 3. Obtain that cushion in advance.
On Thursday night, the Stars need to perform as they did in the opening frame. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are a huge improvement over the Predators. The Stars’ offensive barrage in the third quarter nearly cost them the game against the Oilers. Who wins today may depend on Oettinger’s performance and the result of the first period. The Stars can defeat the Oilers if they can recapture that early lead.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars preview: 2. Put an end to their combo
The players the Stars have to stop on defense this afternoon shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Their two best players, McDavid and Draisaitl, score a lot of goals. If the Stars are to prevail this afternoon, Oettinger needs to be at the top of his game. Oettinger can also benefit from his teammates’ assistance in clearing the puck from the zone. This afternoon’s game might go a long way for the Stars if both players go off. The Stars ought to be able to hold them off and prevail if they can shut them down.
Edmonton Oilers against. Dallas Stars 1. Distribute the points evenly
To defeat the Oilers, the Stars need to distribute the scoring. On Thursday night, it was good to see the fourth line open the scoring. This afternoon, the Stars can’t depend solely on Tyler Seguin’s line to generate all the offensive. Given that Pavelski and Sons were scoreless against Nashville, it would be fantastic to see them score a couple of goals. The Stars should defeat the Oilers before going on the road this week if they can distribute the scoring across all of their lines.
