Chicago Blackhawks Eye On The Enemy: Blackout Dallas

The Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars are set for a home-and-home weekend

This weekend, the Chicago Blackhawks face the Dallas Stars in a home-and-home series. The back-to-back games will be the third such occasion for the Blackhawks, as they head into the weekend on a four-game winning streak.

Over the last four wins, the Blackhawks have outscored their opponents by a 5-to-1 margin (15-3), and Chicago goalie Corey Crawford has stopped 133 of the last 136 shots faced. Pretty impressive.

The Stars, on the other hand, are 4-4-2 through their first 10 games and have struggled to find consistency so far this season. Tyler Seguin is leading the team per usual, but their goaltending woes continue to bring them down. So what kind of team will the Blackhawks be facing over the weekend?

Preview Q&A with Blackout Dallas

To look ahead to the Blackhawks-Stars series this weekend, we here at Blackhawk Up turned to our friends and foes at Blackout Dallas to preview what the kind of Stars team the Blackhawks are going to be up against over the weekend. Here’s what editor Josh Clark had to say.

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Who has been most impressive for the Stars so far this season?

BD: I’m going to go ahead and avoid the easy answer, which is Tyler Seguin (5G, 3A). It’s a toss-up between a few, but I have to go with Devin Shore. The rookie is tearing it up this season and is just so diverse.

He definitely gives the Stars an extra edge. In nine games, he’s got one goal and six points. He can play in multiple positions and gives his all when he’s on the ice. The Blackhawks definitely need to watch out for the youngling or he’ll make them pay.

Who has been most disappointing so far?

BD: I have to go with Jiri Hudler. The new addition to the Stars seems to be taking longer than expected to adjust. He’s missed five games due to illness, but when he’s on the ice he’s just not hitting his stride. He’s receiving second- and third-line minutes primarily but is still pointless and sits at a minus-3. The Stars will need him to pull it together in order to replace the Stars currently on the IR.

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Are the special teams numbers for Dallas concerning?

BD: Very much so. Last year, it seemed as though the Stars never missed capitalizing on a powerplay and killed off the majority of their penalties. This year they can’t seem to do either. Maybe it’s the injuries, but things need to be fixed quick or else the special teams will continue to be their Achilles heel.

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• Blackhawks: Grading Connor Murphy and a position comparison
• Blackhawks: Shuffling the lines to try and spark offense at 5 on 5
• These Lineup Changes could Solve the Blackhawks’ Scoring Problem

What are your thoughts on free agent acquisition Dan Hamhuis so far?

BD: Dan Hamhuis has looked good. He’s filled his role well. In eight games, he has two assists and is an even on-ice rating. He’s providing a crucial veteran role in a relatively young defensive core and passing on wisdom through the ranks. Hamhuis has done a good job. Our only hope is that he keeps it up. He’s been one of the Stars’ best defenders so far.

What are you looking for in Blackhawks-Stars matchup?

BD: I’m looking to see how the Stars’ shaky offense matches up with the Blackhawks defense. They’ve struggled getting on the scoreboard over the past few games. It will be interesting to see if they can bring their full effort against the ’Hawks’ blue line.

Stars win if….?

BD: Stars win if they can get out of the gate quickly. If they cannot get on the board early and get some consistent scoring, they will more than likely end up on the losing side again and continue the skid. They have to get up and moving right from puck drop.

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Special thanks to Josh at Blackout Dallas for giving us a glimpse into the Stars and getting an understanding of where Dallas is coming from, just 10 games into their season.