San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 15th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The Stars hope to continue a number of winning streaks, including an impressive one against the San Jose Sharks, when the two teams face off in Dallas on Tuesday.
Jake Oettinger stopped 34 shots in Dallas' 3-0 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday, while Casey DeSmith made 25 saves in his debut with the team the following night.
"(Back-to-back shutouts) are very rare. I don't think I've ever been a part of that before," DeSmith said after the Stars' 2-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday. "It's a great way to start the year and it shows that we're playing the right way. Hopefully, we can keep it going."
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Dallas coach Pete DeBoer was quick to give credit to his team's defense for their undefeated start to the season.
"We have a smart group of players," DeBoer said. "We know that strong defense gives us a chance to win every night in this league. If we defend well and get solid goaltending, we give ourselves a chance to win. If we don't, we put ourselves in a much tougher position."
Fourth-line players Sam Steel and Wyatt Johnston scored just 13 seconds apart late in the first period on Sunday. Johnston has recorded at least one point in each of the Stars' three wins to start the season.
Johnston, who led Dallas with 32 goals in the 2023-24 season, had five goals and three assists in three games against the Sharks last season.
While the Stars are riding high with two consecutive shutouts as part of their undefeated start to the season, the Sharks were shut out in their last game and have not won a game in October in 12 straight outings (0-10-2) dating back to 2022.
San Jose lost 2-0 to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night, just hours after placing top overall pick Macklin Celebrini on injured reserve with a lower body injury.
Celebrini, who at 18 years old became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's top player in 2023-24, will miss Tuesday's game in Dallas and Thursday's game in Chicago. He is eligible to return on Friday when the Sharks finish their three-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets.
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"(Celebrini) is a special player. He will help us offensively and boost the confidence of the team," Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said. "He's a great presence in the locker room and even though he's young, he leads by example."
Tyler Toffoli also had a goal and an assist in San Jose's 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 35 saves in that game, but gave up three goals in the third period before Brayden Schenn scored 45 seconds into overtime.
Blackwood also stopped 35 shots in his only game against Dallas last season, but the Stars won 6-3.
Johnston (two goals, one assist) and Dallas captain Jamie Benn (one goal, two assists) both had three-point performances in that game.
San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars Recap OCT 15TH 2024
Matt Duchene scored in regulation and in the shootout to fuel the host Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
Jason Robertson's wrist shot sailed under the crossbar in the opening round of the shootout. Duchene sent a wrister that froze Mackenzie Blackwood in the second round and Wyatt Johnston's snap shot in the third helped Dallas improve to 4-0-0 this season.
Roope Hintz and Duchene each scored a goal in the second period and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for the Stars.
Former Dallas forward Ty Dellandrea and Tyler Toffoli each scored in the second period for the Sharks, who extended their winless stretch in October to 13 games (0-10-3).
Blackwood turned aside 36 shots, including a highlight-reel glove save on Evgenii Dadonov with 6:50 remaining in the third period.
The Sharks failed to score on a two-man advantage early in the third period.
Dallas trailed for the first time this season at 6:24 of the second period after Robertson committed a turnover at the blue line near its offensive zone. Toffoli skated up the ice on a two-on-one advantage and wristed a shot from the left circle that beat Oettinger under his glove for his second goal of the season.
The Stars forged a 1-1 tie at 12:03 of the second after Mason Marchment wired a cross-ice feed to a driving Duchene for an easy conversion. The goal was Duchene's first of the season.
Dellandrea burned his former team by converting a loose puck from in close to give San Jose a 2-1 lead with 4:48 remaining in the second period. The goal was the first of the season for Dellandrea, who was selected by Dallas with the 13th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Hintz answered two minutes later from the low slot for his second goal of the season.
Dallas forward Tyler Seguin and defenseman Mathew Dumba sat out due to their respective lower-body injuries. Forward Mavrik Bourque, last season's American Hockey League MVP, won all four of his draws in his season debut.