The Dallas Stars are finishing up a well-earned break as they haven’t played since Saturday but will face the Arizona Coyotes tonight. They are also in the middle of a five-game homestand, which will wrap up on Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins before they fly out west for Sunday’s rematch with the Coyotes and their last Pacific road trip of the season.
Game 1: Wednesday vs Arizona Coyotes
The Stars’ first game of the week is tonight against the Coyotes who are seventh in the Central Division and almost 20 points out of a playoff spot. But they still gave the Stars a good run for their money earlier in the season. In their only previous matchup in November, the Stars needed overtime to beat the Coyotes, taking them down 4-3 thanks to Matt Duchene‘s overtime winner.
Duchene was named first star of the game in that overtime victory, adding an assist.
This game is the fourth of the five-game homestand, with a 1-2 record so far. Dallas lost the opening two games, getting outscored 10-5 by the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils. The loss to Florida was the tougher pill to swallow, as Dallas blew a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3 in regulation. The Stars bounced back in their most recent matchup, a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, and will look to keep that momentum heading into Wednesday’s contest.
Game 2: Friday vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Friday’s game will see the Stars host the Penguins in their second and final matchup of the season. The two teams haven’t played since Oct. 24, when the Stars won 4-1. Goaltender Jake Oettinger stole the show, stopping 38 of 39 shots and being named the first star, while Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley both earned a goal and an assist in the victory – their first goals of the 2023-24 season.
Like the Coyotes, the Penguins are currently outside of a playoff spot. However, the Penguins still have a chance (albeit fairly small). On paper, the Penguins should be a tougher matchup than Arizona, and the Stars will need to bring their A-game if they want to close out the homestand with a victory.
Game 3: Sunday at Arizona Coyotes
After Friday’s contest, the Stars will fly out west for a four-game West Coast road trip that begins on Sunday with a rematch against the Coyotes – their third and final game of the week and the season against Arizona. While the Coyotes will not make the postseason, the Stars will likely clinch their playoff berth in the next week or two, and the top of the Central Division is still up for grabs.
The Stars will also play the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Seattle Kraken, in that order, on this road trip.
Related: Dallas Stars: A Look at Potential First-Round Matchups
The upcoming week might not seem important, as the Stars have all but locked up a spot in the postseason, and the two teams they will face are not in a playoff spot, but the main goal should be to land first place in the Central Division. If the playoffs started right now, the Stars would play the Colorado Avalanche and ask any team if they would rather play the Avalanche or a wild-card team in the first round, almost all would choose the latter. The Stars have a solid shot at the Central Division title, and this week is a great way to begin their push for first place.
