Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 1: Stars @ Ducks
Playing their first playoff game in six years, the Dallas Stars are a massive underdog as they take to the road for Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the top-ranked Anaheim Ducks. Game time is 9 p.m. CDT. The match will be televised locally on Fox Sports Southwest, nationally in the U.S. on NBCSN and nationally in Canada on TSN.
The Stars have picked off their share of regular season wins against Anaheim in recent regular seasons and Dallas won two of the three games the clubs played this year.
Dallas boasts one of the most formidable top lines in the league, backboned by Tyler Seguin and team captain Jamie Benn. The club is one of the fastest-skating teams in the NHL and has gotten periodic bursts of scoring depth from its second and third lines. Kari Lehtonen remains one of the more underrated goaltenders in the circuit and usually gives his club a chance to win.
The Stars' primary weakness is a somewhat undersized defense corps that lacks physicality. Additionally, there is not much top-end talent in the forward attack beyond the top line. The Stars do have a combination of youth and veteran leadership as well as grit to supplement the speed.
Anaheim may have an even better top line, backboned by Ryan Getzlaf and former Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry. There is superior depth to Dallas' up front and a better blueline on paper as well. Forwards Nick Bonino (22 goals) and Andrew Cogliano (21) also topped the 20-goal mark, while Mathieu Perreault scored 18. Soon-to-retire future Hall of Famer Teemu Selà¤nne can still pot some clutch goals.
The Ducks defense corps is anchored by Cam Fowler and Francois Beauchemin. Longtime Stars top defenseman Stephane Robidas was traded to the Ducks at the trade deadline while recovering from a broken leg.
When the Ducks are on their game, they are an extremely difficult for any opponent. There is a combination physicality and speed. Unlike the Stars, the Anaheim goaltending is in a bit of a state of flux. Longtime starter Jonas Hiller has had some consistency issues and it remains to be seen if highly touted youngster John Gibson or Frederik Andersen could step up under Stanley Cup playoff pressure if needed.
Dallas' emerging shutdown defenseman and most physical defender, Brenden Dillon has been bothered late in the season by a lower-body injury. He is officially a game-time decision for tonight. Veteran forward Ray Whitney (upper body injury) is expected to play.