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Tonight, the Dallas Stars are going to kick it like it’s 1993.
In their retro night, the Stars will wear the ‘93 jerseys during warm-ups, play 90’s music throughout the game presentation, and concessions will be set to 1993 pricing (or so we hear). They even brought back a little throwback in the PA booth:
I’m proud to announce as part of tomorrow night’s #RetroNight presentation, former @PAVoice of the @DallasStars, Bill Oellermann will be in the PA chair to call the game. Bill spent 18 years behind the mic. Let’s give him a warm welcome. I can’t wait to hear him again! #GoStars pic.twitter.com/hE6RBn0JyM
— Jeff K (@jeffk_stars) February 2, 2018
One thing that won’t be retro tonight, though, is the opponent in tonight’s match-up. After all, the Minnesota Wild were not even part of the league until 2000. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area got an expansion team seven years after their original NHL franchise was relocated — to Dallas.
The saltiness that usually comes from Wild fans when they play the Stars due to the relocation of the Minnesota North Stars might be a little extra tonight.
It’ll just add more emotion to a game that is already a big deal for this season. The Wild currently sit just one point behind the Stars with two games in hand. If the Stars win tonight, they put a three point gap between the two clubs, even if the Wild will maintain their two games in hand after tonight.
The Stars haven’t been great against their division this year — 7-10-0 so far this season. The Wild aren’t exactly lighting it up against their divisional mates, either (8-8-0). If the Stars aim to improve their divisional record, now would be a very good night to do it.
The Wild did beat the Vegas Golden Knights last night at home, and traveled after the game to Dallas for a second half of a back-to-back tonight. Beating the Western Conference-leading Golden Knights is nothing to sneeze at, but they’ll have to bring their good play from home ice on the road, which hasn’t been kind to them this season. They’re currently 10-14-1 away from the friendly confines of home ice.
Stars Lineup
After some line juggling versus the Coyotes, the Stars bring their lines back to some semblance of normal tonight with the return of Antoine Roussel, who is now over his nasal infection. (Which has to feel good, because that kind of sickness would suck.)
Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Alexander Radulov
Antoine Roussel - Radek Faksa - Tyler Pitlick
Mattias Janmark - Jason Spezza - Devin Shore
Remi Elie - Jason Dickinson - Brett Ritchie
Esa Lindell - John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis - Greg Pateryn
Stephen Johns - Julius Honka
Marc Methot (knee) and Dillon Heatherington (healthy scratch) took skate but will not play tonight. Kari Lehtonen gets the start in net with Ben Bishop out with swelling to his noggin after taking a puck when sitting on the bench in the Stars’ win versus the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. Landon Bow has been recalled from the AHL Texas Stars to serve as the backup.
Martin Hanzal (muscle strain) has been placed on injured reserve. It’s retroactive to January 20th.