The Dallas Stars try to sweep the season series against Los Angeles in a matchup of playoff teams.
On a night where Dallas Stars legend Mike Modano has his statue unveiled outside the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Stars look for a much needed win against the Los Angeles Kings.
Even with all the pomp and circumstance happening outside the arena before the game, the Stars will have to be all business when the puck drops. Dallas was in first place in the Central Division just four days ago, but after two straight regulation losses, the Stars are all the way down to third place.
Colorado and Winnipeg both drew level with the Stars at 89 points, and both teams have the tiebreaker over Dallas as things stand today. The Stars are desperate for points to pull back ahead in the division, as well as to get the bitter taste out of their mouth from the previous two games.
On Tuesday, Dallas was comfortably ahead 3-0 against the league leading Florida Panthers before allowing four unanswered to lose 4-3 in regulation. The Stars followed that performance with a 6-2 loss to the Devils where Jake Oettinger was pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots and the team defense was nowhere near good enough.
Now, a Kings team comes to town fresh off a 5-0 blowout of the Chicago Blackhawks Friday. Los Angeles was able to cruise to victory after four first period goals. The score was 5-0 just three minutes into the second period, and from then on the Kings were able to spread out minutes evenly to keep their players rested. Los Angeles went with seven defensemen, but even with one less forward, the highest ice time of any forward was 18 minutes.
The Stars have had their way with the Kings so far this season, winning 5-1 at home on Jan. 16 and 4-1 on the road a week ago. Oettinger won the first game, while Scott Wedgewood played very well in Los Angeles in his only start this month.
Here are a few things to look for coming into the game:
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Projected lines:
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Marchment-Duchene-Steel
Benn-Johnston-Stankoven
Dellandrea-Faksa-Smith
Harley-Heiskanen
Lindell-Tanev
Suter-Hakanpaa
Wedgewood
Oettinger
Nils Lundkvist is being healthy scratched for the fourth straight game, when Pete DeBoer was asked about it, he had this to say:
While the game itself is of utmost importance to the Stars, a lot of attention will be on Modano, the best player in Dallas Stars history, as his statue across from Dallas Mavericks great Dirk Nowitzki will be revealed Saturday.
The ceremony will begin on PNC Plaza rain or shine at 4 p.m. CDT ahead of the 7 p.m. puck drop. Fans with or without game tickets are welcome to attend the statue reveal.
It is also the annual St. Patrick's Day game, and unlike recent years where the Stars have not had a home game near March 17, this one falls on the busiest day of celebration in Dallas. The St. Patrick's Day parade on Greenville Ave. will start at 9 a.m. and continue through 3 p.m. The Grand Marshall of the parade is none other than the man of the day, Modano.
Stars fans will hope a day full of festivities ends in a needed win for the team in green.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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