They say no playoff team is in trouble until they lose at home, and that is especially true for Joe Pavelski and the Dallas Stars as they try to avoid a 0-3 series hole when they welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to American Airlines Center for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday night.

The Stars lost back-to-back overtime games to the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena, and will be looking to the leadership of their veteran players as they look to avoid an insurmountable deficit.

That includes Pavelski, who has played more postseason games than anyone on the Dallas roster, and has seen his fair share of playoff adversity.

“He has a great effect on our group,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said about the 38-year-old. “And I've said this before: any teams that get to this point in the season, their best players are their most honest players or you don't get this far. If your best players are taking shortcuts or cheating or cheating for offense, you're not getting to this point, and I think Joe lives by that creed.”

“He's unfazed and that leadership, and those qualities he brings to us,” Dallas forward Tyler Seguin echoed, “make us a much better group.”

Pavelski has been a steady presence on and off the ice for the Stars, scoring eight goals and 12 points in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He also leads the team with three game-winning goals.

“That was something I took throughout my career is you want to show up,” the Wisconsin native said ahead of a critical Game 3.

“You want to compete for the guys next to you because that's what you expect of them and that's probably the No. 1 thing with leadership: Just show up and play, compete, try to help guys, have them help you and then just be a group that's excited to be out there together.”

The Dallas Stars will be looking to the leadership that Joe Pavelski brings as they try to make a series out of the WCF and avoid having to play an elimination game at home on Thursday night.