GDT: Game 77 - Stars @ Wild - 7PM Central / 3AM Finland - NBCSN

[Bazeek]

Zucker - Staal - Niederreiter
Parise - Koivu - Granlund
Greenway - Cullen - Coyle
Winnik - Eriksson-Ek - Foligno

Suter - Dumba
Brodin - Murphy
Olofsson - Prosser

Stalock




Benn - Seguin - Radulov
Roussel - Faksa - Pitlick
Janmark - Shore - Ritchie
Dickinson - Spezza - Elie

Lindell - Klingberg
Hamhuis - Pateryn
Methot - Johns

Lehtonen​

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The Opponent

Dallas has found itself on a downhill slide recently, falling from the top wild card spot to sixth in the Central Division after an eight-game losing streak. The Stars eked out an overtime victory on Tuesday in Philadelphia to stop the freefall, but are desperate for points to regain lost ground.

This season, Minnesota and Dallas have split the series, each winning on home ice. Thursday's game is the first of a home-and-home series that will switch to Texas for a Saturday night matchup.

The dangerous trio of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov lead the Stars in points, with 73, 69 and 67, respectively. Not surprisingly, they're also the top three goal-scorers; Seguin has potted 39, Benn 28, and Radulov 27.

In the midst of a Norris Trophy-worthy season, defenseman John Klingberg leads the Stars with 55 assists, barely trailing the three big guns with 62 points of his own.

Stars goalie Ben Bishop has missed the last four games with a knee injury and will not play either game against Minnesota. Instead, Kari Lehtonen -- who made 30 saves and backstopped Dallas in its most recent win against the Wild -- will earn the nod in net. Lehtonen is 13-13-3 on the season with a 2.54 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912. In his career against Minnesota, he has posted a record of 11-10-3.

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Thankfully it looks like Dallas is no longer on that losing streak. Seems like the Wild should take this one unless the Stars suddenly return to form.

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[nickschultzfan]

Kind of thinking Parise should go to the 3rd line and Coyle to the 2nd.

 

[DANOZ28]

we have to fight , for our right, too party! please please please win this one for dano

 

[gphr513]

Big opportunity with Colorado losing last night. We'd have a 6 point lead with 5 to play, and I'd start to feel a little more comfortable.

Would be nice to clinch with a couple games to go.

 

[Bazeek]

Big opportunity with Colorado losing last night. We'd have a 6 point lead with 5 to play, and I'd start to feel a little more comfortable.

Would be nice to clinch with a couple games to go.

This would be a big one to win. We're sitting at 94 points right now, and you have to figure that 2 more wins/98 pts should be enough to secure a spot. I'd much rather they get those wins in this Dallas-Dallas-Edmonton stretch than needing to get them on the California trip we end the year with.

And if we do want to end up in WC1, securing a playoff spot and resting guys in California would be the ideal way to make it happen.

 

[123TripleDoge]

just figure out a way to play vegas in the playoffs lol

 

[2Pair]

Kind of thinking Parise should go to the 3rd line and Coyle to the 2nd.

Parise isn't good enough at either end of the rink to make that 3rd line viable. Coyle is.

 

[Wabit]

A Wild win tonight would mean Dallas can't pass them in the standings.

Kind of thinking Parise should go to the 3rd line and Coyle to the 2nd.

I'd rather have Greenway with Coyle than Parise. Keep the game as simple as possible for Greenway and put him around the net front when possible. Coyle likes to play with the puck and stick handle in space, Parise likes to go net front. Right now I think Greenway compliments Coyle better than Parise.

 

[gphr513]

A Wild win tonight would mean Dallas can't pass them in the standings.

They said on the radio this morning that if we win tonight Dallas is mathematically eliminated.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

I don't think that's technically true...I just checked and Dallas' tragic # is 5. I think it's a virtual certainty that they wouldn't have a chance if we won, but I don't think it would eliminate them.

 

[57special]

Big opportunity with Colorado losing last night. We'd have a 6 point lead with 5 to play, and I'd start to feel a little more comfortable.

Would be nice to clinch with a couple games to go.

I want them to go the "clinch and tank" route.
Even if they end up in the last WC spot i don't see NSH being any worse than WPG as an opponent.

 

[Wabit]

They said on the radio this morning that if we win tonight Dallas is mathematically eliminated.

It wouldn't eliminate them from the WC race. With a regulation loss they could max out at 94p, an OT loss would be 95p. Both WC teams are sitting at 91p right now.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I want them to go the "clinch and tank" route.
Even if they end up in the last WC spot i don't see NSH being any worse than WPG as an opponent.

Personally, I like the Nashville matchup better than the Winnipeg.

 

[Bazeek]

Personally, I like the Nashville matchup better than the Winnipeg.

Weirdly enough, I've been leaning that way, too. I think there are more x-factors with Winnipeg (they take a lot of penalties, they don't really have the same amount of playoff experience, Hellebuyck's kind of an unknown in the playoffs), but I could see the amount of raw firepower on that team carrying them through the first round pretty easily. It's a series I could see going lopsidedly in either direction.

Nashville's a tough, tough team, but overall we seem to stack up pretty well against them. I wouldn't consider us the favorites or anything, but it seems like there's less potential for things to go completely pear-shaped against the Predators. Famous last words, I guess.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Personally, I like the Nashville matchup better than the Winnipeg.

Agreed. We can play with Nashville.

Jets scare the heck out of me. That group of forwards is just terrifying to think about going against for the next couple of years.

 

[Minnesota]

Murphy on the second pairing...

 

[BusQuets]

I'm confident with Wild's chances against everyone but Preds and Jets but it's not like those teams are unbeatable. I think Wild could definitely expose Jets' weak defense corp in a playoff series. Preds would be a really hard one but it seems that Wild matches up well against them.

 

[TaLoN]

Gotta lock up this playoff spot!

Go Wild!

 

[Wild11MN]

Take all the drama out and just win tonight. Then we can start tanking for WC1.

 

[TaLoN]

Take all the drama out and just win tonight. Then we can start tanking for WC1.

Just win period... don't tank for anything.

We can't officially lock the spot tonight yet anyway

 

[The Enemy Within]

Plus if we play the Jets in the playoffs the first round, it seems like every Jets game is so very physical. I would hate to see us get a couple of key injuries in a long series against them.

Go Wild! Big game tonight!

 

[Wild11MN]

Just win period... don't tank for anything.

We can't officially lock the spot tonight yet anyway

Yeah, I know. There was a sarcasm smiley at the end you know.

 

[Wabit]

The Brewers game finally ended; 2-1 win in 12 innings. I was getting worried it would run into the Wild game and I'd have to make a decision.

 

[The Enemy Within]

The Brewers game finally ended; 2-1 win in 12 innings. I was getting worried it would run into the Wild game and I'd have to make a decision.

I'm watching a recording of the Twins game and listening to the Wild.

Go Wild!

 

[HwT]

Ugh