"The things they have in common is they do play with a lot of speed and a lot of pressure," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "They can create offense both off the rush and in zone, their defensemen are all very active, and they do it at different levels. Carolina does it a different level than Buffalo does, and their record indicates that. These next two teams, Carolina and New Jersey, are two of the elite teams in the league and a big challenge for us."
Carolina (29-9-6) ranks second in the league in points percentage at .717. New Jersey (31-12-4) is third at .702. The Hurricanes have an identity under long-time bench boss Rod Brind'Amour as a diligent defensive team who likes to control the puck. The Hurricanes are clear leaders in puck possession when measured in shot attempts and also lead the league in shots on goal differential at plus-8.8
"You've just got to take their time and space away as much as you can," said defenseman Jani Hakanpää, who played for the Hurricanes two seasons ago. "Maybe I can use some of the things I learned when I was there against them, I guess. We're going to have to have good detail all over the ice, make sure we're tracking back hard and working as a five-man unit."
DeBoer has said the team likes to focus on itself, and it could help them in this run. There are subtle differences between the three Eastern teams, so adjustments are needed each game. What's more, Dallas has been at its best when it focuses on its own game and finds consistency. Recent wins over Vegas and Arizona were created by solid play throughout the lineup, while losses like the ones to Buffalo and San Jose featured wild swings in intensity and execution.
"For us, it just comes down to putting in 60 minutes," Hakanpää said. "We started off really good [against Buffalo] and then kind of faded. For us, we need to do the right things for the whole 60 minutes and just trust our game."
Both Carolina (15-4-2) and New Jersey (18-2-2) are among the best road teams in the NHL, so DeBoer said he knows the Stars will have to play their best.
"We played these guys before," DeBoer said. "It's been the same coach for an extended period. They've built an identity and that's consistent. That's what makes them so good and so dangerous. I don't think the fact they're in the other conference is an issue. We know what they're about. It's just about us bringing our A game and seeing how we stack up."
Key Numbers
60.0
Carolina is the clear NHL leader in SAT percentage at 60.0. The stat measures shot attempts at even strength which help define a team who is good with puck possession. Dallas ranks 15th at 50.8.
502
Carolina ranks last in the NHL in blocked shots at 502.
3.86
Dallas ranks second in the NHL in home scoring at 3.86 goals per game. The Stars rank seventh overall in scoring at 3.43.
He said it
"Nils has played a lot of hockey for us, a lot of quality hockey. He's not sitting out for weeks or months at a time. Over an 82-game schedule, for young players, there's nothing wrong with taking a step back, if it's for three games or five games. I think it can be nothing but a benefit to reset mid-season."
- Stars coach Pete DeBoer on sitting 22-year-old defenseman Nils Lundkvist for the third straight game.
Expected lineup
Robertson-Seguin-Pavelski
Benn-Johnston-Dellandrea
Marchment-Hintz-Gurianov
Kiviranta-Faksa-Glendening
Heiskanen-Miller
Lindell-Hakanpää
Suter-Hanley
Oettinger
Wedgewood
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
