The streaking Dallas Stars try to keep the goals coming when they host the Jack Hughes-less New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
Dallas leads the NHL in both wins (19) and goals (98) since Dec. 28. The Stars are 5-1-0 in their last six games, outscoring opponents 32-19 in that span. That hot streak includes a 4-2 win over the Devils in Newark on Feb. 22.
Sunday’s 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues saw the Stars get outshot by a whopping 42-21 margin, but Dallas was a perfect 4-for-4 on the power play. Wyatt Johnston scored three of those tallies, tying a franchise record for most power-play goals in a single game.
Despite the Blues’ control of the five-on-five action, “we bent but didn’t break,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said.
“We didn’t allow the fact that they had that momentum to turn that into a two or three-goal hole where you’re never getting out,” he said. “We hung around until we found our game a little bit more as the game went on.”
Johnston’s hat trick gave the forward 10 points (six goals, four assists) over a six-game points streak. Roope Hintz has also been a huge part of the Stars’ recent surge, tallying four points in each of his last two games.
While Dallas is rolling, the Devils have alternated between wins and losses in their last 12 games for an even 6-6-0 record.
Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights was damaging on multiple fronts for New Jersey, as Hughes, their star forward, left the game late in the third period. He appeared to suffer an arm injury when he crashed into the boards after getting tangled up with Knights forward Jack Eichel.
Hughes is day-to-day with the injury pending further evaluation, and is unlikely to play on Tuesday. Hughes is the Devils’ team leader in goals (27) and points (70), and his absence leaves a huge hole in New Jersey’s lineup.
Eichel wasn’t called for a penalty on the play, while Hughes himself was whistled for interference on a somewhat similar-looking play early in the third period. Hughes’ penalty led to the first of two power-play goals for Vegas in the final frame.
“0-0 game all the way, and then it’s a penalty that’s a little questionable that kind of just switches the momentum completely for the game,” Devils forward Jesper Bratt said.
After an MCL sprain sidelined Jacob Markstrom for New Jersey’s previous 11 games, the goalie returned to stop 22 of 24 shots Sunday. Markstrom looked sharp against Vegas, though Jake Allen could start on Tuesday if the Devils want to ease Markstrom back into action.
Jake Oettinger will likely start in net for Dallas. Oettinger is 29-13-2 with a superb 2.44 goals-against average this season.
Matt Duchene leads the Stars with 62 points (25 goals, 37 assists).
Tuesday’s matchup pits one of the NHL’s top road teams against one of the league’s top home teams. The Devils have 38 points from an 18-13-2 away record, while the Stars have 45 points from their 22-7-1 home record.
Dating back to the 2019-20 season, the road team has gotten the victory in each of the last eight meetings between the Devils and Stars.
–Field Level Media
