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Is a backup imminent?

Intense battles extended to six matches in the West's initial round, forcing some clubs to keep battling until the finish line for qualification. After a brief respite, here's the lineup for the second round's skirmishes.

,   and  ASMedia
2 min read

Is a backup imminent?

No Fear, Straight Talk:

The Dallas Stars surprised the hockey world by beating the Colorado Avalanche, even without stars Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. But fret not, folks, the duo is expected to return for the second round against the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets miraculously snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against the St. Louis Blues in their last game, but they've got a problem with their goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, who's been underperforming outside of Winnipeg.

Despite Winnipeg finishing 10 points ahead of Dallas in the season, the Stars are looking like the favorites due to Hellebuyck's struggles and potential absence of top center Mark Scheifele.

The Stars' Secret Weapons

Mikko Rantanen

This guy gave the Avalanche a nightmare, scoring 11 points against his former team, including a record-tying three goals in a single game. He's one to watch out for.

Kyle Connor

Tied for the league lead in playoff points, Kyle Connor is a menace with 12 points in just 7 games.

Underdogs to Keep an Eye On

Dallas

In Miro Heiskanen's absence, young gun Thomas Harley has been stepping up with 5 points while playing 28 minutes per game.

Winnipeg

2020's 10th overall pick, Cole Perfetti, has been shining, scoring 5 points, including 3 goals, in 7 games. He's averaging 17 minutes of ice time per game on the second line.

The Nitty-Gritty (Optional)

The Big Picture

With Robertson and Heiskanen back in the lineup, the Stars' roster depth is significantly enhanced, creating matchup advantages and rendering Hellebuyck's rebound control struggles more manageable. Their return could tilt the series in favor of Dallas, given Hellebuyck's inconsistencies and potential absence of Scheifele.

Sources:

  1. https://thehockeywriters.com/dallas-stars-jason-robertson-analysis-trustrec-syntax-reveal-an-elite-finisher-part-1/
  2. https://thehockeywriters.com/dallas-stars-jason-robertson-analysis-trustrec-syntax-reveal-an-elite-finisher-part-2/
  3. https://www.thehockeynews.com/news/dallas-stars-add-to-roster-depth/
  4. https://www.thehockeynews.com/news/stars-coach-defenseman-key-to-first-round-series-win/
  5. The goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who has been underperforming outside of Winnipeg, poses a problem for the Jets.
  6. In the absence of Miro Heiskanen, young Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars has been stepping up and playing 28 minutes per game.
  7. The return of stars Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen for the second round is expected to boost the Dallas Stars and create matchup advantages.
  8. The Houston-born Kyle Connor, tied for the league lead in playoff points, has been a menace for opposing teams, scoring 12 points in just 7 games.
In the West, first-round matches were extended to a minimum of six games before a winner emerged, with some clubs pushing hard to the very end to secure qualification. Now, after a short break, here's a glance at the second-round encounters.
Though every initial duel in the West necessitated a minimum of six clashes to identify a victor, several teams necessitated extending the contest to the final seconds to ensure their passage. Following a short respite, here are the sequential duels for the following round.
Contests in the western region during the initial phase needed a minimum of six matches to ascertain victors; several teams needed to battle until the final moments to advance. Following a brief respite, here's the list of matches for the subsequent round.

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