Dallas Stars Learning What Goes Around, Comes Around
The Dallas Stars experienced what may have been their most frustrating loss of the season on Tuesday night. And yet they still escaped with a point.
The Stars lost to the Calgary Flames 4-3 in a shootout at the Scotiabank Sattledome. This was after the Stars coughed up a 3-0 lead in the third period and barely survived for overtime in the shootout.
After snagging an early 2-0 lead in the first period that increased to 3-0 early in the second period, the Stars reverted to their 2014-2015 ways. This consisted of setting back and giving the Flames free reign to retaliate. And boy did they.
In a short span of 15:51, the Dallas Stars squandered a three goal lead to the Flames and were forced into overtime, which is usually their strong suit. But tonight it just was not there. As a result, the Stars limped into a shootout where they surrendered three straight goals while only responding with one.
The Stars were 19-5-0 before tonight’s game. The Flames were 8-14-2. Best in the West vs. worst in the West. Dallas outshot Calgary 14-4 in the first period. Throughout the last two periods up until overtime, the Flames responded by outshooting the Stars 28-11.
The Stars settled in after a large lead and lacked defensive intensity and offensive support. Part of their collapse was possibly due to an early large lead. The Stars have succeeded this year by either building small leads or falling behind early and picking themselves up later on.
And strangely enough, that is what happened on Saturday night. The only thing is, the Stars took an opposite role tonight.
On Saturday, the Dallas Stars headed into the locker room after the second period down by a score of 3-0 to the Minnesota Wild. But these 2015-2016 Stars have something special about them where they are never out of games, no matter what the deficit.
With their heads held high and their confidence unshaken, the Stars took the ice and tacked on three unanswered goals to tie the game up just before the clock expired. The game moved to overtime where the Stars understood their strength and used it to win the game.
But tonight was a reverse effect, and it’s easy to see why the loss occurred.
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Similar to what the Wild did, the Stars slacked off on defense and did not give enough offensive pressure. But the Stars had also lost defenseman Jason Demers for the entirety of the game and played on with five players. The Demers-less defense always seems to falter, and it is becoming more clear that #4’s presence on the ice may be one of the primary factors of why the Stars defense succeeds.
But in the end, the Stars received a taste of their own medicine. Only this time, it was the underdog team that rose to the top.
The Dallas Stars are allowed to have their slip-ups, as can every team. And even then, the Stars have built themselves a fashionable lead over the rest of their division. Not to say it couldn’t disappear in a game or two, but the Stars are prepared for these mishaps.
Next: Flames Stun Stars In Quick Comeback, Win 4-3 In Shootout
As a result, there’s something to be learned from these past two Stars games. Is an 0-3 hole better than a 3-0 advantage? Potentially, if you know how to handle the cases. But the Dallas Stars experienced a demon from their past on Tuesday night that they need to exorcise rather quick. It was a temporary hiccup that the Stars luckily could afford, but it’s not so fun being on the other end of the sword.