Dallas Stars Must Call On Former Selves For Game Against Sharks
By Josh Clark
The San Jose Sharks are in town tonight and could really use the two points. If the Dallas Stars can revive their former selves, they should have no problem with spoiling the trip for the Sharks.
The Dallas Stars are playing some quality hockey as of late. Sure it may be too late for them to be turning the tide, but at least they found a way to do it.
Over the past eight days, the Stars have posted a 2-1-1 record, though some would argue that it deserves to be better. They thoroughly beat the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks, and narrowly lost to the Calgary Flames (who had just lost their 10-game win streak) and Chicago Blackhawks.
But their play has been the most impressive part. In Vancouver, their offense was lively and put up four goals. The defense and the goaltending of Kari Lehtonen were stellar and helped the Stars rile up a 4-2 win.
In Calgary, the Stars went toe-to-toe with the hottest team in the league and matched them stride for stride for the majority of the game. They had even outshot the Flames when it was all said and done. But they ran into goaltender Brian Elliott and, just as he did in the Western Conference semifinals last year, he shut down the Stars and would have ended the night with a shutout had the Flames not committed a horrible turnover in their own zone.
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After finishing up the road trip with the loss, Dallas moved back home and welcomed the Sharks who had skunked them 5-1 just a week earlier. The Stars responded positively, knocking off the Pacific Division leader in a 1-0 finish.
They then took two days off before traveling to Chicago to play the Blackhawks. Last night’s game was an exciting and action-packed one until the last shootout attempt by Dallas. The Stars heavily outplayed the Hawks but still came up short in the shootout. It was a bit of a deflator for a Stars team that seemed to have finally found a happy balance in their play.
At this point in the season, it seems as though none of these games mean anything. But each one of these games presents an opportunity for the Dallas Stars to get better as a team and get an early jump on next year. They need to use each game to its fullest advantage. Playoffs may be lost, but there is still time to get better.
If the Dallas Stars can look past the bump in the road from last night and get back on the horse, they could pounce early on the Sharks and get the positive play going again.
Next: Missing Out On Playoffs Will Help Stars Out
Only nine games remain, and each one gives the Stars a new chance. Tonight they finish their series against the Sharks. Who wants it more?