Opportunity Presents Itself; Dallas Stars Must Answer The Bell

Jonathan Toews does not do many favors for the Dallas Stars. Oddly enough, he found a way to give them a helping hand on Sunday night. With his team being outshot and outplayed, Toews cashed in with 31 seconds to go on Ondrej Pavelec to help the Chicago Blackhawks knock off the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in the Jets’ 76th contest of the season.

With the Winnipeg loss, the Dallas Stars now rest six points out of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. Here is a look at the standings as of Monday morning:

1. Minnesota Wild 76 GP 95 PTS

2. Winnipeg Jets 76 GP 90 PTS

3. Los Angeles Kings 75 GP 88 PTS

4. Dallas Stars 76 GP 84 PTS

5. San Jose Sharks 76 GP 83 PTS

6. Colorado Avalanche 75 GP 82 PTS

These numbers may not look enticing, especially considering that there are still six teams “mathematically” in play for the final two spots. But the Dallas Stars must not look at it that way, but instead to focus on their own window of opportunity.

The Dallas Stars just had the opportunity of a lifetime plopped in their lap. Not to say they won’t need a few more of these “opportunities” in order to make the postseason, but it is a start and they will need to capitalize.

The Stars face off with the Calgary Flames on Monday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. After a riveting game last Wednesday that ended in the Stars spoiling the Flames home ice advantage with a shootout win, this one promises to be of the highest caliber. Not only that, but the Flames spent their Sunday smashing the Nashville Predators 5-2. So, an easy win is definitely ruled out. The last time the Flames visited the AAC, Corban Knight helped win a 4-3 decision in the shootout when he sent one past Tim Thomas (feels like decades ago, huh?).

If the Stars can win, that would put them just four points back of the final spot and send them into a three-day break with some motivation. The Stars are not too great in their final game before an extended period of rest that runs longer than two days. This season, the Stars are 1-4-0 in a final game before a period of rest lasting three days or more. A long break just ahead seems to be a thorn in their side this year, and they cannot let that happen Monday night, lest their playoff hopes die most assuredly. The Stars rose from a 0.2% chance to a 0.7% chance after the Jets loss.

A few other key teams will be in action tomorrow. The Los Angeles Kings will face off with the Chicago Blackhawks, who will be enduring the second half of a back-to-back. The Colorado Avalanche will also be facing the Edmonton Oilers who really bloodied the Stars’ nose on Friday night in regards to the chase. Knowing the Stars luck, the Avalanche will find a way to crush the Oilers, but that remains to be confirmed.

Best case scenario for the Stars will be this: a Stars win, a Kings loss in regulation, and an Avalanche loss. Pretty simple, right? Knowing the wackiness the Stars have experienced this season, none of it will be easily done.

The Dallas Stars will need a finish to the season that looks something like this:

Dallas Stars 6-0-0

Winnipeg Jets 2-3-1

Los Angeles Kings 4-3-0

Calgary Flames 2-1-3

The final two records present the absolute best that those teams could do in order to get Dallas to the postseason.

If the Stars can win Monday night, that keeps the heat on a still red hot Winnipeg Jets team in their matchup with the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Either way, Monday night is a must win. Calgary and Dallas both desperately need wins. A loss is crucial and most likely the last shovelful of dirt on the Dallas Stars’ postseason grave. Will they be able to escape the coffin before it is too late? We’ll just have to see.

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