Following tomorrow's game in the Lone Star State, the Jets will return home to play the very same Stars Thursday at MTS Centre, before heading back out to play another Central Division rival - the Colorado Avalanche - the very next night, and more than 1,400 kilometres away.
Figuring that they would be better off getting a proper night's rest (instead of arriving back home at around 3:00am CT), the Jets will stay over in Denver and travel home Saturday, not practice, and then play the Buffalo Sabres in a matinee affair Sunday.
And that's the easy part.
At 2-3 on the year, and with a bunch of divisional games up on the horizon, the Jets know they will have to be at their best to come out on the right side of it.
"The first four (games) had a certain feel to them in terms of style," Maurice said. "There's always a bit more edge whenever you get into the Central. The Dallas games are always high end at both ends, so we've got to make the most of our chances in both games."
Last year, the Jets finished above .500 against the rest of the NHL, but their 11-16-2 mark within the division ultimately cost them a playoff spot. Improving on that is a point of emphasis this year, and it begins right now with their next three.
"They're big games," Wheeler said. "We didn't do a good enough job in our division last year and ultimately if you want to achieve your goals, you have to success in your division.
"It's no easy task - a lot of good teams - but it's going to be fun to see where we're at."
