NHL teams
Craig Custance, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

W2W4: St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars, Game 2

DALLAS -- The St. Louis Blues look to even up their second-round series against the Dallas Stars with a Sunday matinee Game 2 that begins at 3 p.m. ET. Here’s what to watch for in Dallas:

  • Expect to see the Blues push back big in Game 2 after not making the emotional investment necessary to win a playoff game in Game 1. There clearly was leftover residue from the gut-wrenching Game 7 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and now the Blues have to completely work that out of their system and try to steal one on the road.

    "We know we’ve got a better game in us, and we know we can play better," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We know what elements of our game that need to improve."

    This is a Blues team that has handled adversity remarkably well throughout the season and into the playoffs. Any time the Blackhawks pushed in Round 1, the Blues pushed back, and that’s what we should expect to see from the Blues in Game 2.

  • This series features two teams playing two styles, and the Stars were able to impose their brand of hockey more effectively in Game 1. They have a speed edge in this series, and if they can continue to use it, the Blues will have a hard time keeping up.

    The counter for St. Louis is a physical game in which the Blues grind things out in the offensive zone for long periods of time, forcing the talented Stars offensive players to defend. The Blues gave up goals on the rush in Game 1 and have to tighten up that part of the game.

    "We got beat up the ice too much, and when you get beat up the ice, you’re chasing from behind all the time," Hitchcock said. "We were chasing from behind too much."

  • Both goalies were strong in Game 1, especially Brian Elliott, who kept the Blues in the game with his athleticism and a few old-school saves. Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen played a very controlled game, showing the kind of poise necessary to win in the playoffs. Both goalies are in a bit of unchartered territory for their careers. Sunday will be Elliott’s ninth playoff game this year, the most of any postseason in his career. He currently has a playoff save percentage of .932. Lehtonen is playing in the second round for the first time in his career, and this game will be his sixth of this postseason, equaling a career high. He has a .925 save percentage this postseason.

    The first team to get the opposing goalie out of a comfort zone will have an edge, but right now they both are settling in.

    "He’s played really good for us for awhile," Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski said of Lehtonen. "You can tell when he’s confident and playing well. He looks big in there. He looks composed. Everything looks in control. It’s fun to play in front of him when he’s playing like he is right now."

  • Stars center Jamie Benn was a wrecking ball in Game 1, targeting Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo early and often. Pietrangelo has been the Blues' best defensemen in the playoffs, and there’s clearly an attempt to wear him down as he manages his lengthy minutes.

    He looked to be in pain at times in Game 1, but Hitchcock said he’s fine and ready to go.

    "When you play that many minutes, you’re going to be a target," Hitchcock said. "He looked tired at the end because we spent too much time defending. I think anybody’s going to look tired and vulnerable when you’re in your zone too much. ... He’s fine. He’s good."

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