Will the stars align? Dallas readies itself for a season-defining trip

Stars (21-16-12, 54 points) vs. Lightning (33-14-2, 69 points)

The test begins today.
Needing a nice run to pass Nashville in the standings to gain the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division, the Stars will have seven road games to end the season. Among the opponents are Tampa Bay (three times), Nashville and Florida. Dallas will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning on Thursday - and the opponent will be familiar.
The Stars lost in six games to Tampa Bay in the playoffs last season and have played against them five times already this season, going 1-3-1. Stars head coach Rick Bowness said the series has been closer than the record.
"We've played really well against them, we've been in every game against them," he said. "They're a great hockey club. They got the best goalie in the league in net, the best defenseman in the league in Victor [Hedman]. They're very well-balanced and they work very, very hard."

Because of the COVID pandemic, NHL teams have been limited in their ability to get out of the hotel when they're on the road, and so the mental challenge has been as tough as the physical one. Being able to overcome all of that will be huge for the Stars as they battle teams that have very good home records.
"It's been tough, to be honest," Stars winger Blake Comeau said. "You get to the hotel and you're basically just stuck in the hotel until you play. There's some long days, some long trips. I think we've done a pretty good job of adapting to it. It's kind of become the new norm, but that being said, it's a grind physically and also mentally just being stuck in a hotel while you're out on the road."
Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak said the team simply has to use what it has learned in the bubble last season and then on the road this season. They have no choice, really.
"It's just the world we're in now. You have to be able to adjust," Oleksiak said. "Our schedule is so condensed, you really don't focus on it too much. You're kind of just going city to city, playing the game and then flying out again. We're just focusing on hockey right now."
And that means focusing on a Tampa Bay team you will see three more times before the season is over.
"We know the type of game we're going to see tonight," Bowness said. "We're in control of our own destiny. We see these guys three [times] and we're going to have to find a way to win a couple of these games with them."

What to watch

Jake Oettinger will get the start in goal.
He has won his past four starts and has a 2.10 GAA and .927 save percentage in April. What's more, he is 1-0-1 against the Lightning with a 2.52 GAA and .912 save percentage.
So what is making the 22-year-old improve in his rookie season?
"Just confidence, getting to know the league a little better, getting to know shooters a little better," Bowness said. "The biggest adjustments for the goalies are the traffic and the size of the players coming at them, trying to find shots through screens and the big bodies in front. It's just the experience of playing and the confidence that grows when you realize you can play in this league. That takes a little time to build up that confidence in yourself. You never know until you're in there, and now he knows."
Oettinger beat Carolina in overtime on Monday, 4-3, and said he feels the confidence growing.
"It's huge," Oettinger said of the overtime win. "Obviously, we all know what has happened to us this year after regulation, and to get on a roll here in overtime and to have the guys step up and make huge plays is awesome."

Lineup updates

Joel Kiviranta might come back into the lineup tonight.
The slippery winger has been out since March 21 with a lower body injury. He has three goals and four assists for seven points in 19 games this season.
Tyler Seguin is not ready to return. He's skating, but Bowness said they're hoping he might play in a game next week.

Numbers

#

9-1-3

Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is 9-1-3 in his career against the Stars with a 2.05 GAA and .929 save percentage. He's 4-1-0 against Dallas this season with a 1.58 GAA and .940 save percentage.

7-2

Tampa Bay is 11-2-2 in one-goal games, including 7-2 in overtime and shootouts. Dallas is 8-6-12 in one-goal games, including 5-12 in overtime and shootouts.

23

Tampa Bay's Ondrej Palat has dominated the Stars more than any other opponent in his career. Palat has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 18 career games and is plus-9 in that span.

He said it

"If I can produce offense, that's great for the team. At the end of the day, if we don't win, I didn't achieve my goal. We didn't achieve our goal."
- Jason Robertson, on extending his scoring streak to nine in a row last game.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.