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The Dallas Stars Continue To Win And Lose In Playoff Race

By Josh Clark |

The Dallas Stars continued their winning ways Monday night as they overcame three different one goal deficits and scored three goals in the final frame to down the Buffalo Sabres 4-3.

Next: Dallas Stars Come Alive In Third, Rally To Down Sabres 4-3 - Post Game

With the win, the Stars entertained their fans in a 3-1-0 home stand where they knocked off teams including the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks. The Dallas Stars are now 8-2-0 in their last ten contests, along with a record of 8-3-0 through the month of March. They have surged from the ashes and continue to pursue the chance at qualifying for the playoffs for the second season in a row.

If they have gained six points over their last three games, how come they still sit eight points out of the final wild card spot? The Stars seem to have finally met their match. The Dallas Stars were given an almost entirely free walk to the postseason last year due to the self-implosion of the Vancouver Canucks and the Arizona Coyotes unable to find a quality backup goaltender when their starter was sidelined with a season-ending injury just weeks before the playoffs began. But this season, there are two teams in front of them that just will not budge. The Minnesota Wild and the Winnipeg Jets currently occupy the two wild card spots, and neither will sacrifice an inch for the Stars. Here is a current look at the standings:

1. Minnesota Wild 73 GP 89 PTS

2. Winnipeg Jets 73 GP 88 PTS

3. Los Angeles Kings 72 GP 84 PTS

4. Dallas Stars 73 GP 80 PTS

5. Colorado Avalanche 72 GP 78 PTS

6. San Jose Sharks 73 GP 78 PTS

The Minnesota Wild are 4-1-0 in their last five games, and were able to successfully take a loss and retain their position in the first wild card spot. The Winnipeg Jets are enjoying their longest win streak of the year as they are a perfect 5-0-0 in their last five games. They have been able to keep the Stars and other suitors at bay with the wins and now they have narrowed it to just nine games left to screw up in.

The Dallas Stars began Monday with a 1.4% chance to make the playoffs and ended it with a win and a drop to 1.0%. It is definitely not the ideal situation to be in.

“The only thing we can do is win out, we’ve got to win out. We can take it a game at a time, but we have to try and win out. We know where we’re at and it’s tough, but we’re gonna give it everything we got.” -Lindy Ruff

The Stars can only blame themselves at this point for their slow and varied start to the season, but that does not mean they will quit anytime soon. Their chances are becoming narrower and they are running out of an already strict amount of breathing room in the race. So, that basically puts another “win-or-die” bounty on the Stars’ heads beginning with the Western Canadian road trip. Three games in a span of four days, with two of them being against red-hot playoff teams. With the way the other teams in the race are playing, a loss may as well cinch the noose on the Dallas Stars 2014-2015 playoff hopes. We’ll see how the critical road trip goes starting Wednesday.

Minnesota next three games: @ New York Islanders (TUE), vs. Calgary Flames (FRI), vs. Los Angeles Kings (SAT)

Winnipeg next three games: @ Vancouver Canucks (TUE), vs. Montreal Canadiens (THU), vs. Chicago Blackhawks (SUN)

Dallas next three games: @ Calgary Flames (WED), @ Edmonton Oilers (FRI), @ Vancouver Canucks (SAT)

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