It was a rough start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars], who opened the series with a 6-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Still, there’s little reason for panic just yet as recent history shows Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]can bounce back. In their last nine playoff series, the Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]lost Game 1 seven times but still won five of those series. There are also encouraging trends on home ice with Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]having not lost consecutive home games to Minnesota since December 2022 and had won six of their previous seven meetings at home before this defeat. That said, improvement is needed across the board with the offense being held to just one goal at home against Minnesota for the first time since October 2018, and their defensive play has been a concern. Across three meetings with the Wild this season, including the playoffs, Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]has allowed 12 goals on home ice. If the Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]want to avoid falling into a 2-0 series hole, tightening up defensively will be critical. Slowing down Minnesota’s attack early and avoiding another quick deficit will be key, while the offense looks to rediscover the form that carried them into the postseason. Make Sure You Bookmark THN's Dallas Stars Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/]For The Latest News, Exclusive Interviews, Breakdowns, And So Much More. DALLAS STARS’ EXPECTED LINE COMBINATIONS VS. MINNESOTA (GAME 2) Hryckowian - Johnston - Rantanen Robertson - Duchene - Bourque Steel - Hyry - Benn Back - Faksa - Blackwell Lindell - Heiskanen Harley - Lundkvist Bichsel - Myers Oettinger Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7580a307-e387-4cc9-86ee-6eeb7a5cf1a7.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
