Dallas Stars Cannot Score In OT, Lose 4-3 To Montreal

The Dallas Stars finished their Canada road trip tonight in Montreal. Though they lost in overtime, they should be happy with how they finished and look ahead.

The Dallas Stars visited the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, looking to increase their win streak to three games. They came up just short, falling 4-3 in overtime.

Game recap

The Montreal Canadiens assumed control of the pace early, but the Dallas Stars were the first team on the board. It was not the prettiest goal scored, but Cody Eakin touched a puck just before it awkwardly made its way into the net for a Stars 1-0 lead. The Canadiens would counter, with Markov taking a shot that deflected off Max Pacioretty and in with 5:40 to go in the period.

As the second period started up, the Stars found themselves on the power play. Jason Spezza scored a PPG 17 seconds into the period to give the Stars a 2-1 lead. But just 36 seconds later, Alex Galchenyuk scored to tie it at 2-2. Phillip Danault scored on an awkward rebound to take the 3-2 lead, but Ales Hemsky picked up the tying goal with one minute to go in the second.

The third period featured plenty of strong chances for both teams, but Kari Lehtonen and Ben Scrivens stood tall for both sides. The game moved on to overtime, where the Stars fell in an unfortunate way and Galchenyuk scored the game winner in a 4-3 decision.

Thoughts and Observations

The injury bug is plaguing Dallas

Things just cannot get worse for the Dallas Stars on the injury front at this point. In the past week, the Stars have lost the services of Patrick Sharp, Jordie Benn, John Klingberg, and Jason Demers just recently tonight. Demers could be out for the rest of the season, according to head coach Lindy Ruff.

The bug could have bitten at any other point earlier in the season. But at this point, the Stars could be in place for a very rude awakening.

The trip was not as bad as it seemed

The Stars took a two-game road trip to Canada that started Sunday in Ottawa. The Stars will now travel back to Dallas with three of four possible points gained from the trip. While some people look down on the overtime loss to Montreal, the Stars had a successful trip. Sure they didn’t beat the ailing Canadiens, but it was on a difficult play and without some primary factors in the lineup. Not a bad trip at all.

Bad way to go down

In all honesty, the game could have ended in a much more entertaining fashion. The Canadiens got the win all because Kris Russell‘s did not have a functioning stick to use on defense. It’s a rough way to go down, but that’s how the way hockey go. Not to mention that Ben Scrivens played an almost unbelievable game.

The drought continues

Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin cannot find the back of the net. What’s up with that?

The Dallas Stars two leading scorers are both experiencing scoring droughts, with Benn picking up a seventh scoreless game and Seguin seeing his sixth straight. Something is wrong, and this is the worst possible time for these two to go cold. With the injuries piling up, the Stars need help from their top duo and fast.

More stars: Roussel's Quiet Career Year

You might want to cover your eyes

This is not good, folks. The Dallas Stars will now trek back home for a five game home stand against five playoff-bound teams. These teams include the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Islanders. The stakes are extremely high, considering the Stars are still lobbying for first place in the Central division, looking for prime playoff position.

The only problem is, the Stars are still riddled with injury. They need to win at least three of those games, including the first two as “must wins,” if they want to keep a hold on their position. But the Stars will not be playing with their main lineup. Instead, they may be stuck with a couple of inexperienced prospects due to injury. So, it may not be a pretty sight in the upcoming week.

Next: Stars Bringing Bennguin Back

The Dallas Stars could be in some serious trouble now. The injuries seem to be flowing out at this point, and it is definitely hurting their chances. Hold on tight, Stars fans. Things are about to get bumpy.