The Dallas Stars began Saturday the place they ended earlier than the 4 Nations Face-Off break — with a win.
The New York Islanders cannot say the identical and can start the problem of rediscovering the shape they displayed for a lot of the three weeks earlier than the day without work.
Dallas will look to finish a back-to-back highway sweep whereas New York will try to win the opener of a pivotal stretch Sunday night time when the Stars go to the Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.
4 gamers scored one purpose apiece Saturday night time for the Stars, who by no means trailed in a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
The Islanders have not performed since Feb. 8, after they fell 6-3 to the Minnesota Wild.
The win Saturday was the seventh prior to now 9 video games (7-1-1) for the Stars, who’re on monitor to return to the playoffs after reaching the Western Convention finals the previous two seasons. Dallas is in second place within the Central Division, two factors forward of the third-place Wild.
“Our purpose was to be our greatest come the top of the yr — construct the small print into our recreation and get our recreation to the place the place we really feel actually good about it going into the Stanley Cup playoffs,” mentioned Stars goalie Casey DeSmith, who made 31 saves Saturday. “We’re virtually there, so we simply acquired to maintain constructing.”
The Stars have outscored their opponents 37-24 over the previous 9 video games. Dallas raced to a 2-0 lead within the first six minutes earlier than withstanding a comeback try by the Devils, who outshot the guests 33-26 for the sport.
“I favored our grit and I cherished our goalie,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer mentioned. “(DeSmith) was our greatest participant tonight, and we wanted him to be.”
The path of the Islanders’ season could also be decided by the six video games the crew is scheduled to play earlier than the March 7 commerce deadline.
New York, which is 5 factors behind the Detroit Crimson Wings, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets within the race for the 2 Japanese Convention wild-card spots, acquired again into rivalry by going 8-3-0 in its closing 11 video games earlier than the break.
“It is loopy that, hastily, it is over and also you’re again to the common grind,” Islanders heart Brock Nelson mentioned. “That is equally as vital now. You turn the mindset into playoff race now and getting again into it and the way vital these video games are for us.”
The 2-week 4 Nations respite got here on the good time for the Islanders, who entered the break following losses to the Wild and Winnipeg Jets in a back-to-back highway set.
Defensemen Ryan Pulock (higher physique) and Scott Mayfield (decrease physique) are anticipated to return from accidents Sunday after lacking the previous seven and 4 video games, respectively. One other defenseman, Noah Dobson, will miss his tenth straight recreation Sunday with a lower-body damage however returned to apply Saturday.
The break additionally may need helped first-line left winger Anthony Duclair, who hasn’t registered a degree in his previous seven video games and has but to spherical into kind following a two-month absence this season resulting from a lower-body damage.
“I might say for all the blokes which have been damage, they’re progressing very effectively, which is sweet for us,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy mentioned.
–Subject Stage Media
