The Czech Republic will be without forward Radek Faksa on Monday.
The Dallas Stars forward is ailing from an upper-body injury and will not suit up in his team's second contest against Team Europe, general manager Martin Rucinsky said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.
Faksa was limited to just one period of play in his team's 6-0 loss to Canada on Saturday.
As for Faksa's replacement, Michal Birner served as the team's extra forward Saturday vs. Canada, but assistant Vinny Prospal admits the team could also dress Tomas Kundratek and go with seven defensemen.
Faksa managed one goal through the Czechs' first three exhibition games.
theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
The Dallas Stars claimed first place overall in the Western Conference last season, thanks in large part to an offense that paced the league in goal scoring.
Be that as it may, the club has unfinished business after an early postseason exit.
Here are three questions facing the Stars as they look to build on last season's run:
Will goaltending hold the team back?
It was well documented last season that the Stars' biggest flaw was between the pipes.
While on paper the likes of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi appeared to be a strong duo entering the 2015-16 season, the fact remains that at it's conclusion, both put up sub par numbers.
Goalie
SV%
League Rank
GAA
League Rank
Lehtonen
.906
49
2.76
47
Niemi
.905
51
2.67
39
*Among goalies with minimum 20 games played
During the offseason, Dallas general manager Jim Nill remained adamant that he was confident in his goaltending tandem, and that he would enter this season with both men in line to once again share the time in the blue paint.
Despite the poor numbers, each goalie was able to compile 25 wins a piece last campaign, largely on the back of a high octane offense.
Maybe the Stars' goaltending doesn't need to be good, but perhaps, just good enough.
Will Nichushkin finally break out?
After being selected 10th overall in 2013 by the Stars, followed up by a commendable rookie campaign in 2014, it appeared Valeri Nichushkin was set to become one of the premiere young talents in the game.
However, two years later and the Stars are still waiting for him to become the elite player they envisioned.
Of course during the 2014-15 season Nichushkin was limited to just eight games after undergoing hip surgery, which isn't to be overlooked.
After receiving reduced ice-time at points last season, Nichushkin admitted to a Russian news outlet that he didn't feel trusted by head coach Lindy Ruff.
However, those feelings appear to be in the rear-view mirror as his agent asserted in March that his client loves it in Dallas.
Nill has also made it public that Nichushkin is an important part of the club, though he still remains unsigned.
How will the team's defense hold up?
Going hand-in-hand with the team's goaltending, the Stars' biggest question this season will be whether they can limit the amount of pucks ending up in their own net.
The team was able to land veteran blueliner Dan Hamhuis in free agency, providing a solid, calming presence on the back end.
So while the club will add Hamhuis, they will - unless moves are made prior to the beginning of the season - also rely more heavily on their young defensive depth.
If Sunday night was any indication, Auston Matthews is ready for showtime. At least North American head coach Todd McLellan thinks so. And that's music to the ears of Toronto hockey fans.
"My eye was on him because I thought he was going to have a (heck) of a game, and he did," McLellan said, according to NHL.com's Tim Campbell.
Matthews was on the young guns' top line with Connor McDavid and Mark Scheifele. He was thrown right into the mix, and he responded, showing off his speed and hands in setting up Jack Eichel's opening goal against Finland.
"There was no feat at all of playing him," McLellan said. "He belongs where he is right now. He fits where he is. There's no, 'Hey, let's babysit him and make sure we're protecting him.' Let him play. He's got all the skills and he's playing the right way. You can't ask any more of him."
Maple Leafs probably will, but that's still a little while away.
Matthews, who turned 19 on Saturday, said he wasn't so much nervous - even though he was playing in Toronto - but anxious to get his World Cup going with his teammates.
"It's a pretty good feeling to go out there and contribute," he said.
"He was great," Scheifele said. "He was great with the puck. He made some great plays."
Matthews and his squad will try to keep it going Monday night against Russia at 8 p.m.
Future Maple Leafs savior Auston Matthews showed off his Sunday night before Team North America took on Finland in World Cup action at the Air Canada Centre.
Mikko Rantanen's quest to make the opening-night roster has hit a bump in the road.
The Colorado Avalanche forward injured his ankle during a rookie-tournament game and is expected to be out two-to-four weeks, thereby missing a good chunk of training camp.
The 19-year-old, drafted 10th overall in 2015, recorded 24 goals and 36 assists in 52 AHL games last season, his first in North America. He was, however, held pointless in his first nine NHL appearances.
Rantanen is considered to be an important piece of Colorado's future - if not its present - and a speedy recovery would benefit both parties.
The Montreal Canadiens appear set to add some serious mobility to the blue line at some point in the future.
2016 first-round draft pick Mikhail Sergachev demonstrated brilliant breakout ability in Sunday's rookie-tournament game against Ottawa, taking the puck coast to coast before dishing it off to Daniel Audette for the goal.
The 18-year-old defenseman, who was selected ninth overall, recorded 17 goals and 40 assists for the OHL's Windsor Spitfires last season.
