LINCOLN (29-18-3) The Stars enter this weekend winners of four straight games after only allowing one goal in a pair of games a week ago. Cameron Whitehead stopped all 21 shots last Friday to record his fourth shutout of the season in a 3-0 win at Des Moines before Lincoln scored three times in the first period the next night to defeat Omaha at home. This four-game win streak is the Stars' fourth different of at least that many games and is one away from matching their season-high total set between Feb. 3-11.

Doug Grimes has had a huge month of March, scoring five goals over six games. He has scored in each of the last three games, has a four-game point streak (3+3) and has recorded at least one point in all but one game this month. Grimes recorded his second career USHL multi-goal game against Sioux City on March 3 and has seven points (4+3) in seven games head-to-head. The Stars have scored a power-play goal in each of the last four games and Grimes has two of them, with both coming in consecutive games on March 11 and 17. His six power-play goals are second-most on the team behind Tanner Ludtke's 11.

SIOUX CITY (23-23-2-3) The Musketeers are looking to even up the season series between them and the Stars in the eighth matchup tonight. None of the games have gone beyond regulation but each of Sioux City's last two games have. The Musketeers swept all three games last weekend with a 6-2 win at Tri-City a week ago, a 4-3 overtime win against the Storm the next night and then a 3-2 shootout win at Omaha last Sunday. Sioux City's three-game winning streak comes following a stretch where they had gone 3-10 since the start of February.

Tyler Hotson has only played in six-of-seven games of the season series because he was not with the Musketeers in November for the first meeting but he has enjoyed facing the Stars. Hotson has nine points (2+7) overall and at least one point in every game against Lincoln. He has two multi-point games against the Stars, including a three-assist effort on Jan. 20 in a 4-2 Sioux City win. Hotson is an over-a-point-a-game player in his time with the Musketeers, recording 35 points (9+26) in 34 games.   WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Lots of Hockey: Beginning tonight the Stars play five times over the next nine days. This is the first time that the Stars have played this identical of a stretch since Nov. 18-26. The difference this time is that four-of-the-five games are at home, unlike in late November when only one game in the stretch was played at the Ice Box.

Playoff Picture: The Stars magic number to clinch a Clark Cup Playoff berth for a second consecutive season is down to three. This would be Lincoln's 19th time reaching the postseason and first time making it in consecutive seasons since qualifying for three consecutive seasons from 2011-13.  The Stars can clinch a playoff berth this weekend through the following scenarios… * Lincoln wins both games. * Lincoln wins Friday and Sioux Falls loses that night in any fashion. * Lincoln picks up a point on Friday with an overtime or shootout loss and Sioux Falls loses in regulation. * Lincoln loses both games in any fashion and Sioux Falls loses both games in regulation. * Lincoln loses in regulation Friday and wins Saturday and Sioux Falls loses at least once in any fashion.

Shorthanded Success: Lincoln's penalty kill is the best in the USHL at but the Stars have caught fire on it over this four-game win streak. Lincoln is a perfect 21-for-21 on the penalty kill in its last five games and has not allowed a goal while down a skater since the first period of the last time that these two teams last played on March 3. The Stars have successfully killed off each of their opponent's last 25 power plays entering tonight.