Just when you think we have this season’s schedule figured out, the NHL throws a monkey wrench into things. Technically it’s the weather. Or COVID. Either way, the Dallas Stars find themselves playing one game against the Nashville Predators in a season where most teams are seen in two-game mini sets. Another rarity is the fact that they are playing on back-to-back days after playing the Columbus Blue Jackets last night.
Speaking of the Blue Jackets, perhaps the Stars can breathe a huge sigh of relief after last night’s game. Perhaps we should go back to the game before that. The Stars outplayed the Blue Jackets in the final four periods of the two-game series. Dallas is hoping they can continue the offensive explosion tonight.
The only other time these two teams played was the first two games of the year for Dallas. The Stars opened up the season with a 7-0 win and then followed that up with a 3-2 victory in game two against the very same Predators team.
As stated before that series, this has become a fun rivalry to watch. Not only are the Stars and Predators in the same division normally, they played in the Winter Classic last year. They also had a grueling six-game playoff series a couple years ago.
Dallas Stars Lineup
With no morning skate, we’ll have to see if any lineup changes are made and whether Jake Oettinger gets a back-to-back start coming off a shutout. This is what Dallas rolled with last night:
Jamie Benn (14) – Joe Pavelski (16) – Denis Gurianov (34)
Jason Robertson (21) – Roope Hintz (24) – Joel Kiviranta (25)
Andrew Cogliano (11) – Radek Faksa (12) – Blake Comeau (15)
Nicholas Caamano (17) – Jason Dickinson (18) – Ty Dellandrea (10)
Esa Lindell (23) – John Klingberg (3)
Jamie Oleksiak (2) – Miro Heiskanen (4)
Joel Hanley (44) – Andrej Sekera (5)
Jake Oettinger (29)
Anton Khudobin (35)
The Predators
Nashville comes into this game against the Stars having lost three games in a row. This stretch followed four wins in five games. All-in-all, the Predators are having a disappointing season so far. They currently sit two points ahead of the Stars for sixth place in the division. Although they trail by two points, the Stars have five games in hand over the Predators.
These two teams are 24th (Stars) and 28th (Predators) in goals per game this year. That may point to a defensive battle for tonight. The Predators are allowing 3.17 goals per game, while Dallas is only allowing 2.67.
Nashville Predators Lines
Filip Forsberg (9) – Ryan Johansen (92) – Viktor Arviddson (33)
Rocco Grimaldi (23) – Mikael Granlund (64) – Eeli Tolvanen (28)
Calle Jarnkrok (19) – Colton Sissons (10) – Nick Cousins (21)
Erik Haula (56) – Brad Richardson (15) – Mathieu Olivier (25)
Roman Josi (59) – Alexandre Carrier (45)
Mattias Ekholm (14) – Dante Fabbro (57)
Mark Borowiecki (90) – Matthew Benning (5)
Pekka Rinne (35)
Kasimir Kaskisuo (73)