Arizona Coyotes vs Dallas Stars Picks and Predictions December 23rd 2024

Stars Look to Improve Special Teams in Matchup Against Utah HC

The Dallas Stars aim to bounce back and avoid a three-game losing streak as they visit the Utah Hockey Club on Monday night in Salt Lake City.

Dallas Stars: Power Play Woes

The Dallas Stars (15-12-3) are in a challenging position, sitting fourth in the Central Division and one point outside the NHL’s final wild-card spot. After a disappointing 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Friday, Dallas hopes to regain form, particularly on special teams.

The Stars struggled mightily on the power play against the Rangers, going 0-for-7 and allowing a short-handed goal.

“It’s one thing if the power play doesn’t score, but it can’t take momentum from your group,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “We gave up the short-handed goal, and that was the difference in the game.”

Veteran defenseman Matt Dumba returned to practice on Sunday but will miss his sixth consecutive game due to an upper-body injury. In Dumba’s absence, Alexander Petrovic has stepped in, logging 14:06 in a loss to Toronto last week.

Jake Oettinger is expected to start in goal, having played the past eight games. The last time Dallas faced Utah on Dec. 2, Casey DeSmith made 36 saves in a 2-1 victory.

Utah HC: Resilient but Inconsistent

Utah Hockey Club (14-10-4) extended its point streak to eight games (6-0-2) on Sunday but missed an opportunity to win its fifth straight after surrendering a three-goal lead and falling 5-4 in a shootout to the Anaheim Ducks.

Despite the loss, Utah continued its strong power-play performance, scoring with the man-advantage for the seventh straight game. Coach Andre Tourigny, however, sent a strong message by benching Logan Cooley after a slashing penalty late in regulation led to Anaheim’s tying goal.

“That’s a learning moment,” Tourigny said. “Logan’s been great for us, but discipline is crucial in tight games.”

Cooley remains a key contributor, ranking third on the team with 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists). Meanwhile, Clayton Keller had a historic night against Anaheim with two goals and two assists, marking the first four-point game in Utah HC history and the fourth of his NHL career.

Barrett Hayton, who ended a 22-game scoring drought with a goal and assist against Anaheim, drew praise from Keller.

“He does all the little things that the average person doesn’t realize,” Keller said. “He’s good on draws, goes to the net, and is a great teammate.”

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Key Matchup

This game highlights the Stars’ need to improve their power play against Utah’s surging man-advantage unit. Dallas must also contain Keller, who has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in his past 14 games, and ensure disciplined play to avoid costly penalties.

For Utah, maintaining their offensive momentum while tightening defensive lapses will be critical against a Stars team eager to break out of their funk.