Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins look to keep playoff dreams alive
By C.L. Kohuss
In what should amount to another fantastic and exciting contest, the Pittsburgh Penguins will try to serve a dose of revenge against the Dallas Stars.
In their previous contest, the Pittsburgh Penguins took it completely down to the wire, with the Dallas Stars ultimately locking up the extra point over the Pens in a shootout.
Pittsburgh started that one off quickly, jumping to a two-goal lead just 10 minutes into the first period on scores by Riley Sheahan and Carl Hagelin.
But the Stars would storm back. After Tyler Seguin halved the Pens lead with two minutes to go in the opening frame, they took control in the third.
Goals by John Klingberg and Dan Hamhuis just four minutes apart gave the Stars the lead. Then Justin Schultz happened.
With a few ticks over a minute to go in regulation, and with their goalie pulled, Pittsburgh was able to tie it up and send it in to overtime. They would eventually fall to goaltender Kari Lehtonen in the shootout.
Dallas Stars vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Date: Sunday, March 11
Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
Live stream: Fubo.TV
Both squads have middled slightly of late. Though Dallas has picked up points in four of their last five, they’ve been forced to make late game heroics. They lost two of three in overtime and have lost three of five overall. They own the first wild card in the Western Conference and are striking distance from Minnesota.
Injuries have begun to set in for the Stars as well.
Goaltender Ben Bishop, defenseman Esa Lindell and center Radek Faksa have all been out this past week, though Faksa and Lindell have since returned. Center Martin Hanzal also remains out. Defenseman Marc Methot is out again with a lower body Injury, and Mattias janmark has an illness, which seems to be going around the locker room.
The Penguins’ loss to Dallas in February triggered a six game win streak, but this was followed by a three-game losing streak (including losses to Florida and a drumming by Boston).
The Pens reside at the top of a tight Metropolitan Division, one point up on Washington. They are three up on the Philadelphia Flyers and a mere six on fourth place New Jersey.
Next: 20 stadiums that need to host Stadium Classic
Don’t miss this tilt, as both will have to fight down the stretch to maintain their playoff dreams.