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Los Angeles Kings Keys to Victory vs. Dallas Stars

By Ian Smith

Jan 7, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Jordan Nolan (71) and Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) chase down the puck in the third period of the game at Staples Center. Kings won 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Jordan Nolan (71) and Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) chase down the puck in the third period of the game at Staples Center. Kings won 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here are some keys to victory for the Los Angeles Kings as they prepare to take on the Dallas Stars.

Lure The Stars Into Foolish Penalties

Dallas has the second worst penalty kill in the NHL, and the worst in the Western Conference. The power play of the Kings has looked solid these past few games, and this could be a fairly easy opportunity to continue strengthening that man advantage. Antoine Roussel ranks 15th in the NHL with 16 minor penalties this season for the Stars. He’s tied for 4th in the league with 6 roughing penalties. The Kings are a physical team with plenty of opportunities to get him in the sin bin, setting up some nice power play chances.

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Pressure Kari Lehtonen

The Stars only give up the 19th most shots per game, but the 3rd most goals per game. That type of discrepancy can be exploited. Lehtonen is expected to get the start tonight, and has a 2.82 GAA with a .900 save percentage this season. He was pulled for Antti Niemi after saving just 11 of 14 shots against the Blues on Saturday. The goaltending duo doesn’t look very stable right now, and while Dallas is the type of team that can pack some serious offensive firepower, the Kings would be wise to force Lehtonen to carry the team tonight.

Next: Los Angeles Kings vs. Dallas Stars Game Preview

Limit the Influence of Tyler Seguin

Jamie Benn is expected to miss this game, leaving Dallas without their second leading scorer. This puts more pressure on Seguin to generate offense. During his tenure with the Stars, Seguin has averaged more than a point per game. His elusiveness with the puck gives opposing defenses nightmares, and the Kings will need to make sure that he doesn’t take over the game. The Blues game on January 7 snapped Seguin’s 5 game points streak. He has only had two stretches this season of multiple games without a point, and never more than 2 straight games. The guy is a machine, but the Kings should be fine if they limit the damage he causes. 

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