Dallas Stars Would Not Have Survived Stanley Cup Playoffs
By Josh Clark
The Stanley Cup Playoffs have been nothing short of entertaining so far. But one certain repeating feature in them is the sole reason why it was best for the Dallas Stars to miss the cut.
If you have not caught any action from the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs yet, you are seriously missing out.
There has not been one series so far that has neglected to entertain in at least one game. In a one night sitting, there’s a pretty good chance that there is at least one or two games that will have you jumping up and down and freaking out as the final seconds burn out.
It’s been a crazy ride, even for fans of teams that are not included in the race. And it’s no different for the Dallas Stars.
In some ways, it’s better. Everyone loves playoff hockey, but when it’s your favorite team on the ice, your stress level is through the roof and you forget to enjoy the game itself.
Dallas Stars
Just think about game six of the Western Conference quarterfinals last year between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild. As a Stars fan, it practically crushed your soul and took four or five years off of your life.
But imagine what it would have been like watching that game from the perspective of a non-Stars or non-Wild fan. That might have been the most exciting game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year. Back and forth action with lots of scoring and a final five minutes for the ages.
Being outside and looking in has its negatives, but it definitely has its perks as well.
And this year has truly been one of a kind. That’s pretty special to think about when you remember that it’s still only the first round. Amongst all of the rookie scoring, upset alerts, and thrilling finishes, there seems to be one common thread in the postseason as a whole: overtime.
Of the 24 playoff games that have been played so far, 11 have extended beyond regulation. That translates to 46 percent. Every first round series has gone to overtime at least once in their three-game set. Overtime has decided two of the three games in the Ottawa-Boston series. In the Washington-Toronto series, none of the games have been decided in regulation. Talk about evenly matched series.
And for that case alone (and a few others), it’s a good thing that the Dallas Stars missed the cut this year for the playoffs.
As you can probably recall, the Stars were largely unsuccessful in their overtime endeavors this past season. In games extending past regulation, Dallas finished with an ugly 6-11 record. In overtime alone, the Stars were 5-9.
Though it was 3-on-3 and not 5-on-5 as it is in the playoffs, there was something about overtime that had Dallas cursed. They started the year on an 0-5 skid before picking up their first OT win on November 21 against the Wild.
Hopefully Ken Hitchcock can help pick Dallas up and dust them off. The Blues’ overtime record this past season was a modest 6-5. It’s not stellar, but it’s definitely an improvement. Or maybe Hitchcock will help the Stars’ completely avoid overtime altogether.
But it’s a good thing that the Dallas Stars stayed out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. If not, they’d more than likely be in an ugly situation right about now. After all, it’s no fun to be down 3-0 in a series.
Next: Hitchcock Hopes To Make Changes To Stars' Game
Maybe next year will be more exciting. But until then, keep enjoying the playoffs. It’s once again proving to be one of the best times of the hockey year. And if you want to scream, “Go Stars,” then go ahead.