Stars Seek Consistency, Redemption in Must-Win Divisional Clash vs. Blues

The Dallas Stars have continued a frustrating pattern of taking a step forward only to follow it with a step back. They picked up an impressive win Tuesday against the red-hot Boston Bruins, but could not build on that momentum, falling 1–0 in a shutout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Now entering the second leg of a back-to-back, the Stars will look to bounce back once again as they face a divisional opponent in the last-place St. Louis Blues.

This matchup is a must-win for Dallas, as every divisional game carries extra weight. The Stars are aiming to secure two crucial points while also denying a division rival the same opportunity. It has been a difficult season for St. Louis, who sit at 19-23-8 with the league’s second-worst record, though an upset here could provide a much-needed spark. 

The Blues took the first meeting between the two teams earlier this season with a 3–1 win at home, but this time they will have to do it on the road in the Lone Star State. With both teams trying to snap recent slumps, the Stars having won just three of their last 14 games and the Blues having dropped 12 of their last 20, this contest sets up as an intriguing divisional clash.

The Stars’ offense has been wildly inconsistent, flashing briefly before disappearing again. They erupted for four even-strength goals in Tuesday’s win over Boston, but outside of that game, Dallas has managed just six even-strength goals across its last five contests. 

This has been a lingering issue at different points throughout the season, though it largely flew under the radar while Jake Oettinger and the Stars’ blue line were able to shoulder the load. As that support has wavered, the lack of five-on-five production has become impossible to ignore.

Over their last 14 games, Dallas has scored 36 goals, but eight have come on special teams. That leaves just 28 goals at even strength, essentially two per game. The Stars need far more offense when they aren’t on the power play, and even shorthanded at times, if they want to ease the pressure on their goaltending.

Several key players are stuck in notable slumps as last season’s team points leader, Matt Duchene, has just 11 points and a minus-six rating through 26 games and is currently riding a four-game point drought. At 35, Dallas needs him to find his scoring touch. The same goes for captain Jamie Benn, who finished last season one point shy of 50 but has only 14 points in 29 games this year and hasn’t registered a point in his last 10 outings.

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Oettinger is set to return, which should help stabilize things, but he’ll need offensive support. The added strain has shown in his recent play, as he enters Friday with a 2-4-1 record, a 3.31 goals-against average, and an .868 save percentage over his last seven starts.

Dallas now faces a Blues team that appears to have much of its roster available for trade amid widespread struggles. Only six St. Louis players are averaging more than half a point per game this season.

The biggest name to watch is Robert Thomas, who has surfaced in trade rumors, though acquiring the 26-year-old would come at a steep cost. He’s coming off back-to-back 80-point seasons and has 33 points in 42 games despite St. Louis’ offensive woes.

Even the Blues’ once-reliable goaltending tandem has faltered. Jordan Binnington owns an 8-13-6 record with a 3.59 goals-against average, while Joel Hofer sits at 11-10-2 with a 2.73 GAA. On paper, this matchup presents an opportunity for the Stars to jumpstart their offense but given how inconsistent they’ve been, nothing is guaranteed.

Dallas: Jake Oettinger (Season: 17-10-4 record, 2.72 GAA, .901 SV% | VS STL: 6-2-0 record, 1.59 GAA, .941 SV% in eight games)

St. Louis: Joel Hofer Expected (Season: 11-10-2 record, 2.73 GAA, .903 SV% | VS DAL: 1-1-0 record, 3.87 GAA, .895 SV% in three games)

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