Dallas Stars Beast the East, On Path To Be Best In West

So it’s old news that the Dallas Stars have been beasts in the East. They rolled through Florida, stomping out the Lightning and the Panthers, before downing both the Flyers and the Penguins. All seems well on the home front for the Stars, as their goaltending has made a drastic difference in game results and their line depth has become enviable across the league.

But this is hockey, and things aren’t always rainbows and unicorns. While it’s apparent that the Stars have dominated their Eastern Conference opponents, what is yet to be seen is whether or not they will shine at the same dimension against Western Conference opponents.

We have only two scenarios so far this season to make deductions from; the only two conference opponents the Stars have been pitted against are the Oilers and the Avalanche. One of these instances was good and the other was, well, not so much.

You know the story. The Stars, coming off an incredible home opener win against the Penguins, went on to fall to the Avalanche in what can only be described as a horrific collapse. Prior to meeting the Stars, the Avalanche had gotten creamed by the Wild, blowing a three goal lead in their own home opener (see, it happens to other teams, too).

Whether that loss lit a fire under them or they just snapped out of it, the Avalanche took their frustrations out on the Stars in their first meeting of the season, crushing them 6-3 and causing a lot of fans to assume that the Stars’ shut out of the Penguins was just a false start or a fluke win.

And it wasn’t really lost on any of us that the tilt against the Avalanche was the first example we’ve seen of the Stars play against a fellow Central Division team.

However, it was the style of performance against the Avalanche that would prove to be a fluke. The Stars rallied and took on Edmonton three nights later, allowing Connor McDavid his first NHL goal, but not much else. The Oilers fell to the Stars 4-2, and Stars fans let out a collective sigh of relief. It’s been pretty much smooth sailing since then, as the Stars have yet to lose another game.

But there is something to be deduced from this pattern of performance. Yes, the Dallas Stars can waltz in and practically steal points from Eastern Conference opponents. But when it comes to opponents within their own conference, and specifically the Central Division, will they have what it takes to retain the top-of-the-chart slot they find themselves currently occupying?

More From Blackout Dallas: Dallas Stars Will Experience Central Division Rigor All Year

Those of us who know and love the Dallas Stars are aware that there will be missteps, especially when it comes to playing Central Division opponents. I mean, it’s not called the Murder Death Kill Division for nothing.

And to lose to, of all teams, the Avalanche, who are currently sitting at the very bottom of the Central Division. That’s a North Pole/ South Pole kind of difference between these two teams.

So what does it all mean? Here’s what it comes down to. In the past, the Stars have operated kind of similarly to Kari Lehtonen. Once a mistake was made, the only place left to go from there was downhill.

I’m sure you remember the long losing streaks the Stars dragged through last season. We wondered if they’d ever win another home game again, and if playoffs were actually a real thing and not just a figment of our imaginations.

Sometimes we don’t get everything we want, but it’s clear that the Stars have found some focus over the offseason. Instead of letting the loss to the Avalanche sink them into a rut that became a losing streak, the Stars got right back up and went to work against the Oilers, looking more like the confident team that used home ice to their advantage and denied the Penguins a single goal.

A lot of that confidence and focus has to do with the depth that the Stars have been nurturing and are starting to see pay off. A lot of it also has to do with the savvy moves of Jim Nill (I’m thinking Janmark, are you thinking Janmark?).

But depth is a key strength here. Players like Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Spezza don’t have to shoulder the responsibility of carrying the team to victory, trying to claw back from multiple goal deficits every game.

Top liners can now play a bit more freely in knowing that the bottom lines will pick up right where they left of and, in most cases so far this season, propel the Stars to victory.

In all, the Dallas Stars have become a much more dynamic team. No one could ever argue that the top line lacked in this area, but now it’s a characteristic that the whole team has really latched onto and has begun to carry onto the ice with much more frequency and fervor.

When it comes down to it, it’s the depth and dynamic of the Dallas Stars that will keep them in the top of the Central Division, regardless of whatever minor setbacks they may face. It may be a bold prediction, but this is hockey.

And if hockey isn’t supposed to be bold, well. I guess Jim Nill never got that memo, either.

Next: Dallas Stars Devastate Penguins, Raze The East

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