NBCSNs coverage of the 2019-20 NHL season continues with Wednesdays matchup between the Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings. Coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.

Look, every sports team craves home-field (or in this case, ice) advantage. Even with that in mind, the Stars have plenty of incentive to wrestle away the Central Divisions second seed from the Colorado Avalanche.

The Kings dont serve as much of a threat on paper, but lets consider larger trends to see why the Stars should do what they can to take care of business on Wednesday.

Looking at the Stars and Avs recent records alone makes you realize that things could get tight.

Despite all of the turmoil that came from the surprise coaching change of Jim Montgomery being replaced by Rick Browess, the Stars settled down and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Theyve won four games in a row, with a nice chance to make that five tonight.

Youd think that the Avalanche would climb, not stumble, with several key players returning from injuries. Instead, the Avalanche lost their last game and are a mediocre 4-5-1 in their past 10.

Colorado is still ahead of Dallas for the second seed, but not by much.

Avalanche: 25-14-4 for 54 points in 43 games played Stars: 24-14-4 for 52 points in 42 GP

Indeed, if the Stars beat the Kings on Wednesday, then it would merely come down to tiebreakers. Kind of hard to believe, right?

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Again, the Stars have serious incentive to try to hop over at least the Avalanche. (The Stars havesome chance of leaping the Blues [59 points, 43 GP], but its unlikely.)

So far in 2019-20, the Stars boast a 15-6-2 home record, while theyre only 9-8-2 on the road. A stark home/road disparity extends beyond this season, too.

Those stats provide reasonably compelling evidence that the Stars really are a far more dangerous team in Dallas.

Now, I cant tell you exactlywhy the Stars have been that much better at home. Maybe opponents feel sluggish after eating all of that brisket and delicious Tex-Mex food? Perhaps a physical player like Jamie Benn takes it up a notch in front of a partisan crowd? The Stars morphed into a team that sometimes survives on a fairly slim margin of error lately, so maybe the sometimes-subtle home-ice advantages tip the scales?

Either way, with the door open a bit, the Stars should burst through it. Playing key home playoff games could end up making an, erp, Texas-sized difference.

James OBrienis a writer forPro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line atphtblog@nbcsports.comor follow him on Twitter@cyclelikesedins.

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Stars have extra motivation to grab at least one round of home-ice advantage - Yahoo Sports