Date: November 25th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

 

Battle of Top Contenders

The Dallas Stars (13-5-1, 26 points) visit the Carolina Hurricanes (14-5-1, 29 points) in a marquee matchup of two teams that are off to strong starts in the 2024-25 NHL season. Both teams sit among the top of the league and are well placed in their divisions, with Dallas 3rd the Central division and Carolina sitting 2nd in the Metropolitan division.

 

The Stars are 6-4 in their last ten games and rebounded from a loss to the Ducks with a dominant 5-2 win over the Sharks and a 4-2 victory over the Lightning Saturday night. Carolina, on the other hand comes in a little rusty, dropping their last 2 games to the Devils and most recently the Blue Jackets in a shootout on Saturday. The Hurricanes will look to snap this losing skid, while the Stars will look to continue their highly offensive hot streak.

 

Team Comparison: 2024-25 Stats

Both teams in this matchup have some serious firepower, the high powered offense and study defence on both sides are something to admire. Both teams are in the top 10 in terms of the league’s goals per game, goals against per game, special teams play and shots on goal. With two teams that have been defensively sound and opportunistic the scoring chances these stats promise may not deliver.

 

Key Players to Watch

Dallas Stars

• Matt Duchene: Leading the Stars with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists), Robertson continues to be the centerpiece of this Dallas offense.
• Thomas Harley: The 23 year old has been anchoring the defence with 9 points in 19 games played. He is averaging over 22 minutes per game, Harley had been crucial in all situations this season.
• Jake Oettinger: Sporting a 2.33 GAA and a .918 save percentage, Oettinger is one of the league’s best goaltenders and he gives his team a chance to win night in and night out.

 

Carolina Hurricanes

• Sebastian Aho: The star forward has 19 points (6 goals, 13 assists), his play both on and off the puck is critical in the success of this Hurricanes team. Last game he had a goal and assist.
• Martin Necas: With 33 points, he’s been driving this Hurricanes offence this season with 11 goals and 22 assists with 14 of those points coming off the man advantage.
• Spencer Martin: he’s got a 1-2-1 record with one shutout, a 3.21 GAA and an .870 save percentage through five games this season. He will occupy the No. 1 goalie spot for the foreseeable future because of injuries to Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov.

 

Keys to the Game

1. Special Teams
Carolina’s elite power play and penalty kill could give them the edge. Dallas will need to limit penalties and capitalize on their own opportunities with the man advantage. The game could get out of hand if one team decides to play undisciplined and without structure.

2. Defensive Matchups
The Heiskanen led Stars defense will need to contain Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and the Hurricanes top scorers. Conversely, Carolina’s blue line, featuring Burns and Jaccob Slavin, must neutralize players like Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston. Both teams will have targets on specific players backs tonight.

3. Goaltending Battle
Oettinger and Martin are on two separate sides of the spectrum when talking goalie stats but Martin has much smaller of a sample size to comprehend his true capabilities. The one who performs better could decide this closely contested game.

 

Recent History

The Stars and Hurricanes split their two game season series in 2023-24, with each team winning at home and on the road. Three of the four games last year were decided by 1 goal. This will be their first meeting of the 2024-25 campaign.

 

Closing Remarks

Both teams are well rounded and in good form, but tonight look for Carolina to utilize home ice advantage after losing 2 straight. Dallas on the other hand will look to continue their winning ways on the road. This match will provide an opportunity for special teams to provide a slight edge. Expect a tight, physical game that could be decided by a late goal or in overtime.

 

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