The Dallas Stars are finding new ways and new personnel to generate some momentum.
For the Carolina Hurricanes, it’s largely coming from familiar sources.
Those will be on display in some form when the Hurricanes visit the Stars on Tuesday night.
Carolina has found enough encouraging results, even when its overall performances have been shaky at times.
That was the case when the Hurricanes pulled out a 4-3 overtime victory in Chicago on Monday night.
“We were digging,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We were digging hard.”
The Stars also will be looking to build on success after winning 4-1 on Sunday night against visiting Detroit. Dallas is 10-3-1 in its past 14 games.
The Hurricanes are almost certain to have goalie Pyotr Kochetkov in the net Tuesday night after Frederik Andersen made a return from a months-long absence to play versus the Blackhawks.
Sebastian Aho’s goal gave Carolina its latest victory as he continued to be a clutch performer on offense. But the contributions from captain Jordan Staal, who scored earlier for the Hurricanes, continue to help set a tone for the team.
“It’s the same stuff every night,” Brind’Amour said of Staal. “Without him, I’m not sure where we’d be. He just drags us in it every night.”
Staal’s game-tying goal in the third period marked his 700th career point in the NHL.
Due to injuries, Dallas has been forced to find alternate contributors, and it has worked out well at times. Goalie Jake Oettinger said the Stars have shown the ability to maintain a high level of play, even with a revamped lineup.
“Our record has been great since we lost some of our best players, so that’s just a testament to the guys who have stepped up,” Oettinger said. “When they get called up, it’s up to them to make their mark and make the coaches have a hard time taking them out. I’m happy for them.”
Dallas has called upon relative newcomers Matej Blumel and Justin Hryckowian for offensive boosts. They’re part of a fourth line, which logged more than normal ice time against Detroit.
“They allowed me to play them that way,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “They started quickly, they got a goal early in the game, and I thought they had good detail to their game defensively. I felt comfortable putting them out there.”
The influx of new energy has been necessary with Roope Hintz, Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin out with injuries. It means a revised approach for the Stars.
“We’re not going to outscore teams with Roope and Marchment and Seguin out of the lineup, so we’ve got to play a tight, detailed game,” DeBoer said.
DeBoer said his team was running on fumes by the weekend, so a day off might prove beneficial against a Carolina team that played Monday night and then had to travel.
The Hurricanes won 6-4 against the Stars on Nov. 25 at home. Carolina wiped out a two-goal deficit with a five-goal third period. Spencer Martin, who’s now in the minor leagues, was the winning goalie.
–Field Level Media
