The Stars will be without first-line center Roope Hintz again as they try to dispatch the Avalanche in Game 6 tonight, head coach Peter DeBoer confirmed (via Corey Masisak of The Denver Post). He remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and DeBoer is “hopeful” he could play in a Game 7 or Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, depending on the result of tonight’s contest.
While he’s been centering the team’s de facto first line between Jason Robertson and a rotation of Joe Pavelski and rookie Logan Stankoven on his right wing, he hasn’t been their best center in terms of production or ice time. That honor goes to sophomore sensation Wyatt Johnston, who’s exploded for seven goals and 11 points in 12 games while averaging over 20 minutes per game. Hintz has still been serviceable, logging two goals and four assists in 11 games, but his lines have struggled to control possession quality. That’s not a huge issue on a Stars team that boasts the deepest attack in the West, however. The 27-year-old had 30 goals and 65 points in 80 games in the regular season after recording over a point per game last year.
Other updates as the second round nears its end:
- Bruins captain Brad Marchand remains a game-time decision for tonight’s Game 6 against the Panthers but seems to be trending upward, per head coach Jim Montgomery (per The Boston Globe’s Conor Ryan). He’s missed the past two contests after sustaining an upper-body hit on a hit from Florida center Sam Bennett, which the Bruins managed to split with the Cats to stay alive. They head into Game 6 after an impressive road win to reduce Florida’s series lead to 3-2 with a chance to tie at home. Despite the multi-game absence, Marchand is still tied with Jake DeBrusk for the Bruins lead in playoff scoring with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games.
- Avalanche winger Yakov Trenin will not play in Game 6 against Dallas after sustaining an upper-body injury on Wednesday, head coach Jared Bednar said (via NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding). He’s been given a day-to-day designation and hasn’t been ruled out for a potential Game 7 should Colorado win its second straight game tonight. Line rushes at this morning’s practice confirmed that veteran pivot Chris Wagner is likely to replace Trenin as the team’s fourth-line center as they try to draw the series even at three games apiece. Trenin, 27, is a pending unrestricted free agent and has one goal in 10 playoff games after being picked up from the Predators before the trade deadline.