Despite Injuries, Dallas Stars Remain a Stanley Cup Contender

The Dallas Stars come to town riding a moderate hot streak having gone 3-0-1 in their last four games, earning seven of a possible eight points.

Dallas is fifth overall in the Western Conference, only four points from the top spot held by Colorado.

On Thursday, Dallas lost a tough overtime 2-1 thriller in Tampa. In the prior game, Jake Oettinger blanked Washington 1 -0.

A number of pundits picked the Stars to finish first in the Central Division, and a number of sports books had Dallas as one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

Having been to the Western Conference final in each of the past three years, it is easy to see why Dallas is considered a Stanley Cup contender.

Dallas has a star-studded lineup for years. The addition of Mikko Rantanen late last season could help the Stars make yet another deep playoff run.

Last season, six Stars produced 20 or more goals, with the dynamic Jason Robertson leading the way with 35.

Two of the six, former Panthers Evgenii Dadonov and Mason Marchment are now elsewhere, but four remain in addition to Rantanen who totaled 32 goals with three teams.

In addition to holdovers Rantanen and Robertson, the Stars still have 20-plus men in Wyatt Johnson, Roope Hintz, and Matt Duchene.

Tyler Seguin, who lost most of last season to injury, is also a perennial 20 or more goal man. Seguin played in his 1,000th NHL game Thursday in Tampa.

The Stars ranked third in the NHL in offense last season, averaging 3.35 goals per game.

The defense is led by Miro Heiskanen who is in the middle of an eight-year $67.6 million contract.

They are solid in goal with Oettinger, who has a career .912 save percentage.

New coach Glen Gulutzan is back behind the Stars bench after a 12-season absence.

He replaces Pete DeBoer who was 149-68-29 in three Dallas seasons. DeBoer was dismissed not long after the Stars lost in the WCF to Edmonton for the second straight year.

Florida coach Paul Maurice does not take the Stars lightly.

Nor should he.

“A high-end offensive game. Lots of skill. Lots of speed up front. Really good transition off their back end and a great goalie,’’ Maurice said Friday afternoon at the IcePlex. “They are an elite, powerful team. They’re dealing with what we’re dealing with right now with some guys out. But that doesn’t lessen some of the skill they have in the lineup.”

Jamie Benn and Nils Lundkvist are on long term injured reserve. Duchene and Hintz are day-to-day.

Both teams are relying on depth right now because of injuries.

One player to watch is old pal Alexander Petrovic who spent parts of seven seasons with the Panthers, ending with the 2018-19 season.

Much of his time since then was in the minors with Edmonton and then Dallas. To his credit, he clawed his way back to the NHL, was a regular in last season’s playoffs and appears to have stuck with the Stars this season as a bottom pairing defender.

He scored his first point of the season Thursday, assisting on the lone Dallas goal.

ON DECK: GAME 12

DALLAS STARS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Saturday, 6
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season: Florida won 2-0
• This Season — At Florida: Saturday. At Dallas: Dec. 13.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 28-21-2, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.