The Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars] look fully back on track, riding a five-game winning streak and winning six of their last seven games. That surge included a pair of victories in a home-and-home series against the St. Louis Blues. Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]now returns home for the fourth and final meeting between these Central Division rivals, with an opportunity to take the season series. St. Louis can still even things up, but it will have to do so on the road in a difficult building. After making a late playoff push last season, expectations were high for the Blues, but they have struggled to replicate that success. They enter Wednesday with a 20-27-9 record and only three wins in their last 13 games, a sharp contrast to Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]’ current form. With both teams moving in opposite directions, this matchup could follow recent trends or produce a surprise if St. Louis manages to pull off an upset. LINEUP STORYLINES Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]has rediscovered its depth scoring, and it has made the Stars a tough out with all three top forward lines contributing. The resurgence of Matt Duchene on the third line has been a major boost, as he has caught fire with five goals and two assists for seven points during the team’s seven-game hot streak. Duchene is one of four Stars producing at a point-per-game pace in that span, joined by an unexpected contributor in Miro Heiskanen. The Finnish defenseman has piled up eight assists in his last seven games and now sits at 44 points in 54 games, putting him on track for one of the best seasons of his career. That added offense from the blue line has fueled Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]’ success, though defensively there is still room for improvement after allowing 12 goals over the last four wins. Jake Oettinger has experienced some inconsistency but remains effective, giving up ten goals over his last three starts while still winning five straight games. Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]would also like to see captain Jamie Benn snap his goal drought, as he has not scored in 15 games despite recording five assists in his last three contests. 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. St. Louis, meanwhile, has shown signs of life offensively, scoring 20 goals over its last five games. Much of that production has come from the second line, led by a red-hot Jordan Kyrou with three goals and five assists in that stretch. Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, and Jake Neighbours have combined for seven goals during the recent surge, while the top line has also chipped in. Captain Brayden Schenn has played well despite trade speculation, forming a productive pairing with rookie Jimmy Snuggerud, as the two have combined for five goals over the same span. The Blues have also received timely contributions from the blue line, highlighted by a defenseman who has quietly notched five assists in his last five games. All signs point to a more offensive matchup than expected, with Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars] needing to stay sharp to avoid an upset. GOALIE MATCHUP Dallas: Jake Oettinger (21-10-4 record, 2.75 GAA, .898 SV% | VS STL: 8-2-0 record, 1.77 GAA, .933 SV% in ten games) St. Louis: Jordan Binnington Expected (Season: 8-15-6 record, 3.60 GAA, .866 SV% | VS DAL: 5-9-4 record, 2.34 GAA, .913 SV% in 18 games) 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.
