At some point in time, we have to realize this is Jason Robertson’s world and we are all just living in it, right? I mean what he’s doing right now is sick. Back-to-back hat tricks. Seven goals in a three game span. He’s on another level.
He’s been tremendous all year long, though. And to think he wasn’t even the player from that line to represent Dallas at the All-Star game in Vegas. That would be his 37 year old line-mate Joe Pavelski. Who, I might add, has also been tremendous this year. Stop them and you still have to deal with Roope Hintz. All he’s done is put up 23 goals and 24 assists.
You can’t get very far without talking about that line. But now you’re starting to also see some scoring from that second unit. If you can get Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn going on a consistent basis, watch out!
Tonight, the Stars have another chance to inch their way up the standings. Dallas is currently tied with Minnesota for that third spot in the division. The Stars are only four points out of second behind the St. Louis Blues. And they find themselves one point ahead of tonight’s opponent, the Nashville Predators.
Everything the TNT analysts said on Sunday afternoon about the importance of that game can be echoed tonight. With 27 games left, every game becomes more and more crucial. The Stars are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now while some of the other teams they’re battling with in the division are struggling. Tonight is no different.
Dallas Potential Lines
Jason Robertson (21) – Roope Hintz (24) – Joe Pavelski (16)
Jamie Benn (14) – Tyler Seguin (91) – Denis Gurianov (34)
Riley Tufte (27) – Radek Faksa (12) – Michael Raffl (18)
Joel Kiviranta (25) – Luke Glendening (11) – Alexander Radulov (47)
Esa Lindell (23) – John Klingberg (3)
Ryan Suter (20) – Jani Hakanpaa (2)
Thomas Harley (55) – Joel Hanley (44)
Jake Oettinger (29)
Braden Holtby (70)
The Nashville Predators
I swear once a week these two teams are playing each other. I know they haven’t, but this is the third time in the last month they will step on the ice against each other.
Dallas beat the Predators 4-3 at home on February 9th. Then they lost in a shootout 2-1 in Nashville on February 24th. Tonight, back in Nashville, the Stars will look to even the season series. Dallas also lost to the Preds back in November 4-2.
They still have a dominating top-line. Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene each have 27 goals. Duchene has 50 points and Forsberg has 46.
Potential Lines for Nashville
Filip Forsberg (9) – Ryan Johansen (92) – Matt Duchene (95)
Eeli Tolvanen (28) – Mikael Granlund (64) – Luke Kunin (11)
Yakov Trenin (13) – Colton Sisson (10) – Tanner Jeannot (84)
Matt Luff (24) – Michael McCarron (47) – Philip Tomasino (26)
Roman Josi (59) – Dante Fabbro (57)
Mattias Elkholm (14) – Matthew Benning (5)
Ben Harpur (17) – Alexandre Carrier (45)
Jusse Saros (74)
David Rittich (33)