The Stars enter week 20 as the 11th place team in the Western Conference with 59 points. That mark puts them in the middle of a pack of teams fighting for the last playoff spot. Dallas sits one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild, one point behind the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames and four points behind the Phoenix Coyotes for the last spot in the playoffs.
The previous week, Dallas went 1-2-1, losing game against the Phoenix Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres (SO) and the LA Kings. The only team they beat was the Columbus Blue Jackets. The win was not very convincing however so there’s not a look of positives to build upon.
Dallas has four games to play this week including another difficult back-to-back tilt, which has greatly troubled the Stars this season. It does provide a great chance for the Stars to leap the opposition as they play a couple of teams directly ahead of them in the standings. Travelwise, it will be difficult as the Stars alternate home and away throughout the week. On the schedule:
- Tuesday, February 14: @ Detroit Red Wings (38-17-2, 78 pts, 1st in the West) – Detroit enters this matchup on a 20 game home winning streak. This will be the most difficult matchup of the week.
- Thursday, February 16: Home game against the Calgary Flames (26-22-8, 60 pts, T-9th in the West) – This is the first of four matchups this season that Dallas has against the Flames and a sign of the chance that the Stars have to haul themselves back into playoff contention.
- Saturday, February 18: @ Phoenix Coyotes (27-21-9, 63 pts, 8th in the West) – The fifth of six matchups this season. Dallas will be trying to get revenge for a 4-1 buttkicking the last time these two met. This will be the critical game this week as it is the first of a back-to-back.
- Sunday, February 19: Home to the Nashville Predators (32-18-6, 70 pts, 5th in the West) – The second game of yet another back-to-back for the Stars. Dallas is still looking for the first win in this situation. This will be the third of four meetings between the two teams.
