Stars' defensive woes meet Capitals' recent surge. Can Dallas find offensive firepower to overcome a struggling back end and snap their skid?
The Dallas Stars face a demanding second game of a road back to back Wednesday night as they travel to the nation’s capital to meet the Washington Capitals, one night after a 6–3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Dallas enters the matchup mired in a difficult stretch, having dropped six consecutive games. Defensive breakdowns have been a major concern during the skid, with the Stars surrendering 26 goals over that span. The struggles on the back end have overshadowed an offense that has remained productive despite the losses.
During the six-game slide, Dallas has scored 16 goals, with three players producing at better than a point-per-game pace. That offensive output will need to be supported by a much tighter defensive performance, especially with backup goaltender Casey DeSmith expected to get the start.
The Stars could find an opportunity to reset against a Washington team that has lost nine of its last 13 games, although the Capitals enter Wednesday riding momentum after an impressive win over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. Dallas will also be tested by Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who has emerged as an early favorite in the Vezina Trophy conversation.
Dallas Stars’ Expected Line Combinations vs. Washington (Wednesday):
Duchene - Johnston - Rantanen
Robertson - Hintz - Bourque
Hryckowian - Steel - Back
Blackwell - Faksa - Bastian
Lindell - Heiskanen
Harley - Lundkvist
Lyubushkin - Capobianco
DeSmith
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