The Dallas Stars are ready to return to action, although they’ll take the ice without a few key members of their roster.
Mikko Rantanen is expected to miss at least two weeks with a lower-body injury, while Roope Hintz is doubtful for Wednesday’s Stars-Kraken game due to illness. Meanwhile, Radek Faksa was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. All three of those players suited up for the Winter Olympic tournament.
What can Stars fans look forward to as the team returns to the ice? Here are three things to know about Stars-Kraken on Wednesday at American Airlines Center:
Dallas is dominant vs. Seattle
Sports Roundup
The Stars haven’t run into a ton of trouble when they’ve faced the Kraken in the regular season. Dallas holds a 12-1-1 mark over Seattle in the regular season. That record includes two Stars victories over the Kraken in November.
The last time the Stars lost in the regular season against Seattle was on March 21, 2023. The Kraken won that game 5-4 in overtime.
Dallas currently owns an eight-game winning streak over the Kraken in the regular season.
Can Robo and Miro add to their point total against the Kraken?
Several players on the Stars’ roster have posted productive outings against the Kraken. Hintz has posted 14 points in 14 games against Seattle, followed closely by Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen (13 points each).
Rantanen rounds out the Stars’ list of leading scorers against Seattle with 12 points. Rantanen won’t face Seattle this week, and Hintz is doubtful for Wednesday’s matchup. That means Robertson and Heiskanen are key players to follow at AAC.
Robertson has scored five goals and posted eight assists against Seattle, while Heiskanen has recorded three goals and 10 assists.
Opponents to watch
Seattle’s Chandler Stephenson has made his mark against Dallas in the past. In 20 games played against the Stars, Stephenson has posted six points (three goals, three assists).
Jordan Eberle leads Seattle with 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists). He’s followed closely by Matty Beniers with 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) and Stephenson with 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists).
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