Dallas could wrap up their first division title in eight years at home Thursday against Winnipeg.
With three games left in the 2023-24 regular season, the Dallas Stars are on the verge of several pivotal milestones as they host the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night at American Airlines Center.
Dallas (50-20-9, 109 points) could wrap up their first Central Division title since 2015-16. They're also looking to clinch the top spot in the Western Conference and overtake the New York Rangers for the President's Trophy. The Stars lead the Vancouver Canucks by four points in the Western Conference race and trail the Rangers by one point for bragging rights to the President's Trophy.
Thursday will be the fourth and final meeting between the Stars and Jets during the regular season. Dallas has won the previous three matchups by a combined score of 9-3, including a 2-0 shutout November 28 at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
Forwards Wyatt Johnston, Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz share the team lead with three points apiece in the season series.
The Stars are 9-1-0 in their last 10 games, averaging 4.2 goals and allowing just 1.9 goals per game during that span. Goalie
Jake Oettinger is one of the biggest keys to that surge. He's riding a personal eight-game winning streak, a career high, with a 1.63 goals-against average and .939 save percentage along with two shutouts. In seven of his last eight games, he has allowed two goals or fewer.
Oettinger has won both of his starts against Winnipeg this season with a .50 GAA and .981 SV%. He's 5-0-1 against the Jets over his career with a 1.99 GAA and .926 SV%.
Winnipeg (48-24-6), 102 points) is third in the Central Division but have a 4-5-1 mark over the past 10 games. While a division title is virtually out of their reach, the Jets trail the Colorado Avalanche by just two points for second. The two clubs will face off this Saturday afternoon in Denver. A Dallas victory Thursday would cement a first-round playoff meeting between the Jets and Avalanche, with home-ice advantage still up for grabs.
The Jets will start Laurent Brossoit in goal against Dallas over Connor Hellebuyck. Brossoit has faced the Stars three times including two starts during his career, all with the Vegas Golden Knights, posting a 2-0-1 record, 1.90 GAA and .944 SV% against them.
Hellebuyck is 11-9-5, 2.67, .916 lifetime vs. the Stars. He's lost all three of his starts against them this season with a 2.73 GAA and .906 SV%.
Things to Watch for:
- Wyatt Johnston has 13 goals in his last 16 games for the Stars, and currently leads the club in goals (32) and is tied for third in points (65) this season.
- Forward Tyler Seguin leads active Stars and ranks fifth among active NHL skaters in career scoring against the Jets with 54 points (29-25-54) in 48 games. Seguin has played more games against Winnipeg than any other NHL club.
- The Stars have beaten Winnipeg at home in eight of their past nine meetings.
- Six of the last 11 contests between the Stars and Jets have either gone to overtime or a shootout.
- Jets forward Kyle Connor is averaging nearly a point a game against Dallas, recording 23 points (10-13-23) in 24 meetings.
Projected Lines:
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Marchment-Duchene-Seguin
Benn-Johnston-Stankoven
Steel-Faksa-Smith
Harley-Heiskanen
Lindell-Tanev
Suter-Lundkvist
Oettinger
Wedgewood
Forward Evgenii Dadonov and defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, both out with lower-body injuries, are not expected to play Thursday against the Jets or Saturday afternoon against the Seattle Kraken. Coach Pete DeBoer said during Thursday's morning skate he hopes to play both of them in the final regular season game next Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues.
Puck drop for Thursday is at 7 Pm, and the game will be televised on Bally Sports Southwest.
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