Major Adjustments Ahead for the Stars
The money-green team from the Lone Star State has been putting on a clinic with an excellent start to the season. The Dallas Stars came out hot, winning their first four games and continuing to play consistent, high-level hockey ever since. It’s clear this team didn’t take any days off during the offseason, as they’ve been relentlessly peppering opposing goalies with shots in nearly every game. Twice this season, the Stars have scored seven goals in a single game—a feat that’s incredibly difficult to achieve at the professional level.
Every Stars fan also witnessed an incredible performance from backup goaltender Casey DeSmith against the Utah Hockey Club a couple of nights ago. Despite his limited NHL experience, DeSmith stood tall, allowing just one goal on 35 shots. The Stars have enjoyed stellar performances across the board—on offense, defense, and between the pipes.
However, Dallas now faces a major challenge with the recent devastating news that Tyler Seguin has been placed on injured reserve (IR) and is expected to be out 4 to 6 weeks following hip surgery to repair his left-side femoral acetabular impingement and left-side hip labrum. Losing Seguin is a huge blow, as he has been a key contributor, recording 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) in 19 games. With this significant void in the lineup, the Stars must explore options and find who can step up to maintain their playoff positioning.
Up next, Dallas faces a red-hot LA Kings (14-8-3) squad riding their longest winning streak of the season. Both teams are on three-game win streaks, and the Kings are dominant at home (8-2-1). The Kings have only been shut out once this season and have received solid goaltending from David Rittich (9-6-0, .887 SV%), who will be up against one of the league’s best netminders, Jake Oettinger (13-4-0, .915 SV%). With two evenly matched teams, this showdown promises to be an exciting battle on both sides of the puck.
- – Dante Robinson | Senior NHL Analyst for The National Sports Report